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Ikoyi building collapse: Death toll rises to 38 as body of developer, Osibona found

By Babs Oyetoro
The developer of the 21-storey building that collapsed on Monday in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State, Femi Osibona, has been found dead.

Osibona’s remains were excavated from the wreckage of the collapsed building yesterday evening, four days after the unfortunate incident.

The 53-year-old man was the Managing Director of Fourscore Homes Limited and the developer of the collapsed building.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the collapsed high-rise building on Gerrard Road in Ikoyi has increased to 38.

This was confirmed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

Acting Coordinator of the Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, had early yesterday (Thursday) told journalists that 36 people have so far died from the incident.

But 10 minutes later, two more bodies were recovered from the rubbles, increasing the death toll to 38.

However, there are nine survivors- one female and eight male- who were rescued from the rubble.

The operation to rescue those trapped in the rubble of the 21-storey building which collapsed on Monday is still ongoing.

Families and friends of people trapped in the rubble have kept vigil at the scene, while some have given up hope on the survival of their loved ones, yet some are still hopeful that the unexpected can still happen.

Some family members out of frustration have condemned the slow pace of the rescue operation, despite the explanation offered by the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat when he visited the scene of the incident on Wednesday.

Sanwo-Olu inaugurates panel of inquiry
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, inaugurated members of the investigation tribunal that will conduct an inquiry into the misconduct responsible for the collapse of a 21-storey structure on Gerrard Road in Ikoyi on Monday.

The governor also signed the instrument legitimising the composition of the panel and empowering the tribunal to invite or summon anyone and organisation useful to the investigation.

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Members of the tribunal, who are drawn from the private sector, took the oath at the event held in the LASWA Building at Falomo, Ikoyi. Their duty begins immediately, and they are expected to report back within four weeks.

President of Nigeria Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Mr. Tayo Ayinde, is the chairman of the panel, while Ekundayo Onajobi, a lawyer in a private law firm, is the Secretary.

Other panel members are a structural engineer, Dr. Akintilo Idris Adeleke; an architect, Yinka Ogundairo; representative of Institute of Builders, Mr. Godfrey O. Godfrey, and Mrs. Bunmi Ibrahim, a real estate lawyer.

Sanwo-Olu, who described the event as a “sad one” for Lagos was visibly in a sombre mood during the inauguration.

He said the public deserved to know what went wrong. He stressed that the work of the panel would not bring back the lives lost but added that it would help to prevent the reoccurrence of such tragic events.
“We are gathered here to perform a sad but necessary duty, which is the inauguration of a six-member panel of inquiry into the collapse of the 21-storey building at Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, on Monday.

“It is a solemn moment for me personally, but this is an important assignment. Indeed, the generation coming after will not forgive us if we don’t do the right thing in this incident.

“The inauguration of this panel shows sincerely that the State Government is interested in unravelling and getting to the root cause of what happened to the building, so that everyone concerned, including the Government, will learn from the very unfortunate incident.

“Lagosians and the world will be watching and waiting keenly, with the full expectation that the immediate and remote causes of this tragedy will be uncovered.”

Sanwo-Olu identified with distraught families of victims trapped under the collapsed structure, expressing the belief that the outcome of the investigation would assuage their pains and worries.
The oath taken by the tribunal members, the governor said, empowers them with adequate privileges of Government powers to conduct an independent investigation without fear, favour, interference, and restrictions.

He said he believed the tribunal members would bring their expertise and professionalism to bear in unravelling the infractions that brought down the building.

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In his response, Ayinde said Lagos was in its “dark period”, given the record of fatalities from the site of the building collapse.

He pledged on behalf of members to discharge the duty with all sense of responsibility and in line with ethics.

Lagos declares three days mourning, flags to fly at half-mast

Also, the governor has declared three-day mourning in honour of victims of the Ikoyi building collapse.

The state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, disclosed this in a statement titled: “Sanwo-Olu declares three days of mourning over the Ikoyi building collapse,” in Alausa, Ikeja.

The statement read, “All flags are to be flown at half-mast in public and private buildings and official engagements cancelled during the mourning period.

“The Lagos State Government, once again, commiserates with all those who lost their loved ones in the unfortunate incident.”

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