Seven pulled from rubble as three-storey building collapses in Abuja

A three-storey building has collapsed in Abuja, trapping an unspecified number of occupants beneath the debris, as emergency responders race against time to rescue survivors.

As of noon on Saturday, at least seven victims had been brought out of the rubble, according to eyewitness accounts from the scene.

One of the rescued individuals was said to have been pulled out alive, while fears remain that more people could still be trapped.

Rescue operations were ongoing at the time of filing this report, with authorities yet to confirm the total number of casualties.

Emergency personnel comprising officials of the Federal Fire Service, medical teams, security operatives and local volunteers were seen working tirelessly to clear the debris as anxious residents gathered around the site.

Reacting to the development, the Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, who was present at the scene, disclosed that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had directed that all casualties receive free medical treatment.

The latest tragedy comes amid growing concerns over building safety standards in the nation’s capital.

In a similar incident in Jikwoyi, a suburb within the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), a two-storey building recently collapsed, leaving seven workers injured. Following that incident, Wike reportedly ordered the arrest of the building’s owner as investigations commenced.