The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), on Thursday, July 25, 2024, confirmed fatalities on a building that collapsed at Arowojobe Estate in Maryland area of the state.

The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed this in a statement, said the incident happened at No 13, Wilson Mba St., Arowojobe Estate, Maryland, Lagos.

This is even as the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) urged the Federal Government to update National Building Code, stating clear and stiff punishments for culprits of building collapse.

The REDAN President, Mr Akintoye Adeoye, made the call in an interview on incidences of building collapse and the steps to avert them.

Adeoye observed that the nation’s building codes, and other relevant laws are silent on specific punishments to be meted to culprits of building collapse.

“When a building collapses, there is always a cause, most often related to human error, which must be addressed.

“There should be clearly advertised punishments for those found responsible. Until measures are put in place to punish offenders, there will be no deterrent.

“This nation currently shows a lack of value for the lives of its citizens, which contradicts its legal provisions.

“There is much to be done to also protect people on construction sites, such as ensuring proper insurance coverage,” he said.

Oke-Osanyintolu said that the persons that were recovered dead at the building were site workers.

“The agency received a distress call regarding a collapsed building at the above address at about 3.49 a.m.

“This prompted the immediate activation of the agency’s response team to the scene of the incident at 3.58 a.m.

“It was discovered that a set of three terraces under construction had collapsed.

“Search and rescue operations began immediately, and three adult males were recovered dead, two male adults were rescued alive and one adult male trapped under the rubble was rescued,” he said.

He added that the rescued ones were carried out through the efforts of LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire Service.

“All the six men were site workers.

“They are receiving prehospital care on location while the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit has been contacted for the remains of the three fatalities.

“A combined team of agency personnel, fire service and Nigeria Police are working at the scene.

“LASEMA’s excavator has been deployed to accelerate the search and rescue operations,” he said.

LASEMA has that said the death toll in the building collapse at Arowojobe Estate in Maryland area of the state had risen to five persons.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the total number of deaths was now five adult males while the rescued persons were now five.

“The first three victims that were rescued were taken to the Gbagada General Hospital.

“The other two victims who were rescued were ferried to the Trauma Centre at Gbagada after being stabilised.

“In all, the five adult male victims who were recovered dead have been handed over to the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit for further processing.

“A search and rescue operation are still ongoing to ground zero,” he said.

The REDAN President cited the Ugandan example, where a 12-year jail sentence awaits those who contravene building laws, as detailed in Section 45 of the Building Control Act, 2013 of that country.

He added that recent incidents of building collapse in areas like Kampala, Wakiso, Mpigi, and Jinja, attributed to poor workmanship, inadequate design, and use of inferior materials, highlighted the issue.

He said that the Ugandan’s National Building Review Board’s Compliance and Monitoring Task Force had found that negligence, professional incompetence, and regulatory breaches were common causes.

Adeoye said that the Act stipulates those individuals responsible for accidents resulting in injury, death, or property damage due to negligence, risks up to 12 years in prison, a fine, or both.

He added that the Ugandan Building Regulations, 2020, imposed penalties on professionals and developers who fail to adhere to legal and safety standards, ensuring accountability across all parties involved in construction.

“Nigeria should borrow a leaf from countries that have advanced in controlling building collapses.

“We must update our National Building Code and necessary laws, publicly penalise offenders, create awareness and establish rigorous inspection regimes.

“We need to also enforce standards for construction materials and mandate insurance policies for public buildings and buildings under construction,” he said

Buttressing the lacuna of clear and stiff penalties in the Nigeria Building Code, the REDAN President quoted some sections of the law – Sections 13.1.1.1 and 13.3.5 – which state:

“There shall be established in all Federal, State, and Local Government, Urban Development Agencies, a Code Enforcement Division/Section/Unit in their Development Control Department.”

“Any person who violates a provision of this Code, fails to comply with any of its requirements, or erects constructs, alters, or repairs a building or structure in violation of an approved plan or directive of the Code Enforcement Division/Section/Unit, or of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this Code, shall be guilty of an offense punishable under the existing law.”

According to Adeoye, the provisions are vague and susceptible to manipulation by legal practitioners defending culprits of building collapse.

He, therefore, reiterated the need for Nigeria to take cue from Uganda and other countries with clear and stiff penalties for culprits of building collapse, to serve as deterrent.

Adeoye also advocated that the government agencies responsible for supervising building development must ensure adherence to the National Building Code through stringent oversight and enforcement.

He underscored the need to support REDAN in developing robust laws that govern real estate developers and their activities.

According to him, government should also fund research and development in construction technology and materials to improve building safety.

“If all these measures are implemented, we will strengthen our laws and create a culture of safety and accountability in the construction sector,’’ he said.

He, however, noted that the REDAN Code of Conduct, executed under the Members Professional Responsibilities, compelled them to comply with the prevailing building codes in Nigeria as a minimum standard for construction.

The president added that REDAN members also abide by the guidelines and norms of all government agencies relevant to the built industry and conduct business affairs with professionalism, honesty, integrity among others.

“At REDAN, all our members sign and attest to the Code of Conduct to uphold and enhance the honour and dignity of the business of Real Estate Development in Nigeria.

“Any violation of the Code of Conduct is dealt with by members of REDAN’s Ethics, and Disciplinary Committee, as laid down in the association’s Constitution.

“There are sanctions for any member that violates the Association’s Code of Conduct, determined by the REDAN Membership, Ethics, and Disciplinary Committee.

“As professionals, we must not compromise at the expense of human lives,” he said

Adeoye stressed that his association always warn members against embarking on building construction without approvals and insurance licenses.

According to him, investigations into incidences of collapsed buildings in the country have revealed that, majority of the projects were not handled by REDAN members.

By Angela Atabo and Henry Oladele