0
0
Muinat Usman
Residents of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, woke up on Tuesday, 1st September, 2026 to the news of the collapse of a two-storey building in the Masalasi Gogoro area of Ilorin West Local Government Area.
The incident affected eight members of the same family, with three of them reportedly surviving while five others lost their lives.
Following the tragedy, residents have called on regulatory agencies to intensify enforcement of building regulations and other safety measures to prevent further loss of lives and property.
The Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Geographic Information Service, KWAGIS, Abdulkareem Sulaiman, said the collapsed building was reportedly more than 60 years old and may have weakened over time due to prolonged exposure to environmental factors, including water.
Mr Sulaiman said KWAGIS monitors compliance with building regulations and urged developers to obtain the necessary building permits before embarking on construction projects.
Also speaking, the Head of Climate Change and Environmental Assessment at the Kwara State Ministry of Environment, Mr Ilas Abdulganiy, described disaster prevention as a collective responsibility.
Mr Abdulganiy urged residents to promptly report visible cracks and other signs of structural deterioration to the appropriate authorities.
He identified waterlogged locations, the use of substandard construction materials and engagement of incompetent workers as some of the factors that could contribute to structural failure.
The Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Fire Service, Mr Hassan Akeem, also advised residents to immediately evacuate buildings considered unsafe to prevent further loss of lives and property.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Kwara State Technical Committee of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN, Engineer Bashir Lawal, said a building could collapse irrespective of its age if proper construction standards were not followed.
Engineer Lawal warned that a weak foundation could be an indication of potential danger and advised residents to engage qualified professionals and use quality materials for their building projects.
The stakeholders appealed to landowners to act promptly whenever tenants report structural defects, stressing that early reporting, timely evacuation and enforcement of safety directives could save lives.
According to information gathered, some buildings in parts of the state capital have been sealed off by regulatory agencies after being declared uninhabitable, as part of efforts to safeguard lives and property.
Editing: Abdullah Ahmed
