Warehouse collapse in Minna, Niger State: people trapped under the debris

A warehouse collapsed on Friday 17^th, around 2:50 pm local time in the bustling New Market Area of Minna, the capital of Niger State. As authorities stated, numerous people had been trapped underneath the rumbles after the collapse of the building.

According to the reports, responders arrived immediately at the site and successfully rescued nine individuals. The survivors were then transferred to Minna General Hospital for medical attention. Furthermore, officials announced that efforts to manually clear the debris are ongoing, while there are plans to deploy machinery to assist in the rescue of any remaining trapped people.

As of present the exact cause of the collapse remains unknown. However, the General Manager of the Niger State Urban Development Board asserted that the building, initially a single-story structure, had ultimately been transformed into a multi-story one without legal authorization, despite the board's repeated attempts to prevent this unauthorized conversion. It is pointed out that this could be the reason for the failure.