School building collapse in Nigeria: At least 9 people dead

On Wednesday, March 13, 2019, a 3-story building collapsed in Lagos, the largest city of Nigeria, causing the death of at least 9 people.

The building was a residential structure that contained apartments, commercial stores and a school, according to officials. However, the shops and the school were operating illegally. "The building is not technically a school, it is a residential building that was actually accommodating an illegal school, so to speak, on the second floor," Nigerian Red Cross official, Raheem Jamiu, stated.

The collapse occurred at about 10:00 local time. At least 100 students were inside the building at that moment. Rescue teams rushed to search and save more than 40 pupils that were trapped under the rubble. Some parents that arrived at the scene were unable to track their children and others had to look for them in a local hospital. 

The operations ended on Thursday, March 14, and no more survivors were found. "We have searched all the debris and gotten to the last floor of the building; there are no more survivors," Ibrahim Farinloye of the National Emergency Management Agency, stated.

A local resident told BBC that the structure had been experiencing severe cracking for a long period. Moreover, according to the Lagos State Building Control Agency, it was marked for demolition. Those facts raise questions about the reasons that a school was operating under that structure.

President Muhammadu Buhari expressed his condolences to the families of the unfortunate victims. "It touches one to lose precious lives in any kind of mishap, particularly those so young and tender. May God grant everyone affected by this sad incident fortitude and succor," he said.