By Vincent Egunyanga, Abuja
A four-storey building under construction collapsed on Sunday at the Prince and Princess Estate in Abuja, leaving residents in shock and raising fresh questions about safety compliance in the Federal Capital Territory.
The incident, which occurred around 4 pm, reduced the structure to rubble within minutes.
A security guard on duty, identified simply as Musa, said he had stepped out to visit friends and returned to find the building already collapsed.
Emergency officials from the Federal Fire Service and the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD) swiftly arrived at the scene to assess the situation and prepare for rescue operations.
At the time of filing this report, no casualties had been confirmed, though there were concerns that workers might have been inside.
Fire Service officer Amadu Musa told ThisNigeria that initial checks suggested the use of substandard materials and a poor foundation had caused the collapse.
He added that the whereabouts of the landlord and supervising engineer were unknown, fuelling suspicion that both may have fled to avoid questioning.
“This structure clearly failed because of inferior materials and weak engineering work. We are still working to determine whether anyone is trapped inside,” Musa said.
The collapse adds to a growing list of structural failures in Abuja and across the country.
According to the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), no fewer than 22 buildings collapsed between January and July 2024, leading to 33 deaths nationwide.
Abuja alone accounted for approximately 18 per cent of those cases.
COREN President, Prof Sadiq Abubakar, said poor supervision, quackery, and disregard for building codes remain the leading causes.
He noted that since 1993, Abuja has recorded about 30 collapses, with more than 64 deaths.
“The frequency of these disasters is alarming, and unless building regulations are strictly enforced, Nigeria will continue to witness preventable tragedies,” Abubakar warned.
Only last year, a duplex under construction at the same estate collapsed, trapping two people, who FEMD and the Fire Service later rescued.
Similar incidents in Kubwa and Gwarinpa in recent years also claimed lives and underscored the capital’s vulnerability to unsafe construction practices.
Acting Director-General of FEMD, Florence Wenegieme, had previously cautioned developers against cutting corners, stressing that every construction project must pass integrity tests and have proper insurance cover for workers and property.
As residents watched emergency workers clear the site on Sunday, many expressed frustration that landlords and developers rarely face punishment.
A resident who declined to be named said: “Whenever a building collapses, government officials blame materials or foundations, but nobody is ever prosecuted. That is why people keep cutting corners. Unless examples are made, this will not stop.”
Authorities said investigations would continue and promised that those responsible for the Abuja collapse would be held accountable.
