Lagos Launches Probe After Four-Storey School Building Collapse
Kehinde Adeleye
The Lagos State Government has begun an investigation into the collapse of a school building on Adu Street in the Aguda area of Ogba, Lagos.
The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) confirmed that the four-storey structure, which served both as a residential building and a private school, collapsed on Monday.
In a statement released on Tuesday by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs, Adu Ademuyiwa, LASBCA said no deaths were recorded as students, staff and other occupants had already evacuated the building before it gave way.
“The building, which accommodated both residential occupants and a private school, collapsed on Monday, raising concern within the neighbourhood,” the statement said.
“No casualties were recorded as students, staff and other occupants had exited the building before the incident occurred.”
Officials from LASBCA, alongside responders from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and other emergency services, visited the site shortly after the collapse to assess the situation and ensure public safety.
As a precaution, residents of nearby buildings were advised to temporarily leave their homes while safety checks are carried out on surrounding structures to determine their stability.
LASBCA noted that preliminary findings suggest some form of building activity had been ongoing at the property before the incident.
However, the agency said a full investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the collapse.
Authorities have urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with officials as technical assessments continue. The agency also reminded property owners and developers of the importance of complying with building regulations during construction, renovation or structural modification works.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that several students sustained injuries during the evacuation of the building, which housed Yemco Daycare Nursery Primary and Comprehensive College, and were taken to hospital for treatment.
Residents said the structure collapsed around 11am shortly after a visible crack appeared on one of the walls.
A resident, Femi Aderoju, said a nearby fashion designer first noticed the crack and quickly alerted the school authorities and neighbours.
According to him, teachers immediately began evacuating the students, and the building collapsed just minutes after everyone had been moved out.
A member of the school’s staff, who asked not to be named, said teachers carried out a head count after the evacuation to ensure no student was trapped inside.
Residents also claimed that renovation work had been ongoing on the ground floor of the building before the collapse.
Another resident, Ajibola Salami, suggested that the renovation might have contributed to the crack that eventually led to the incident.
Officials from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASBCA and other emergency responders were seen at the scene. Authorities also evacuated and sealed nearby buildings within the same premises pending safety assessments.
The incident comes only weeks after another close call in January, when students at Odokekere High School in Ikorodu narrowly escaped harm after a classroom block collapsed.
