Four members of the same family have died after part of a three-storey building collapsed at No. 41 Popo Giwa Street, beside Gogoro Mosque, in Ilorin, Kwara State, at about 5 a.m. on Tuesday. Eight family members were trapped beneath the rubble; four were recovered dead and four were rescued alive with injuries, according to figures released by the emergency services on the day.
Emergency responders mobilised quickly to the scene, including the Kwara State Fire Service, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the police and officials of the Hospitals Management Board. An excavator was later deployed to help clear debris and reach those still trapped. A child identified as Firdaus, the second-to-last born of the family, was among those rescued alive. Ambulances took the survivors to hospital for treatment, and the bodies of the deceased were also evacuated.
An eyewitness, Abdulganiy Musa, said the father of the family was a serving soldier, while the mother was a casual staff member at the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies in Ilorin.
Hassan Adekunle, public relations officer of the Kwara State Fire Service, said the agency received a distress call at about 5 a.m. reporting that a building had collapsed with people trapped underneath, and immediately mobilised to begin rescue operations. He said the cause of the collapse would be established only after a full assessment of the structure, and that the relevant authorities would act if the remaining building were found to require demolition. Occupants would be advised accordingly if it were judged safe.
SEMA Secretary Magaji Saadudeen confirmed that eight people had been trapped, and said the rescued victims were receiving treatment.
The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, clarified that the portion that gave way was the building's boys' quarters. He said the situation was under control, that the remaining structure would be examined, and that everybody had been evacuated from the main building as a precaution.
Lawal Olohungbebe, Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, visited the scene representing Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and described the incident as unfortunate, offering condolences to the victims' families. He said the accessible road leading to the building had made it easier for responders to reach the site quickly, and urged residents and developers to comply with building and town-planning regulations, particularly requirements on access roads in residential areas.
The Chairman of Ilorin West Local Government Area, AbdulRahman Ladan, who monitored the operation, commended the emergency agencies and residents for their prompt response and said between six and seven ambulances were deployed to the scene. He urged residents to report structural defects immediately and to leave any building showing signs of possible failure, saying life must be the priority, and advised developers to use quality materials and engage qualified professionals to supervise construction.
Commissioner Adekimi likewise urged residents to watch for warning signs such as leakages and other structural defects, and to evacuate buildings where failure appears possible.
