Tragedy struck in Abuja’s Sabon Lugbe suburb when seven scavengers lost their lives in a building collapse while salvaging iron rods from a demolished site.
Incident Details
Over 500 scavengers invaded the site, pulling down and carting away iron rods, causing the remaining structure to cave in. Two others are receiving medical attention at the Federal Medical Centre.
Official Response
FCT Emergency Management Department Director, Abdulrahman Mohammed, confirmed the incident, stating:
“The scavengers invaded the site after demolition, ignoring warnings.”
Mohammed clarified that the building was an illegally erected uncompleted structure, demolished by the FCT Department of Development Control on Thursday.
Debunking False Reports
Mohammed dismissed reports of a multi-story building collapse with over 40 people trapped, emphasizing that the building was uninhabited.
Ongoing Efforts
Authorities plan to completely demolish remaining structures by Monday to prevent further incidents.
This tragic incident highlights the risks faced by scavengers seeking valuable materials.
Source: Vanguard
