Abuja building collapse: NEMA calls off rescue operations, no additional fatalities

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says it has called off rescue operations at the site of the multi-storey building which collapsed on Wednesday night in Garki village area of Abuja.

Persecondnews recalls that the Garki building which failed integrity test and killed two people with 37 persons rescued from the rubble is coming barely five months after a building collapsed in Gwarimpa area of the FCT

According to NEMA, preliminary investigation is ongoing and will in two weeks make public the cause(s) of the collapsed building.

The building had crumpled about 11:50pm on Wednesday night after downpour in the capital city.

The Director General of FCT NEMA, Dr. Idris Abbas said:”So far so good, we have reached ground zero and we have called off the operation, the operation is over and we have not gotten any additional persons under the rubbles.

“37 people were rescued and two were fatally injured Investigation will take place immediately after the operations.

“The Nigerian builders are here, they are professionals in search and investigation, the Director of Development Control is here, who are responsible for giving approval for all the buildings in FCT.

“Within two weeks, we should come up with why the building collapsed and also with possible remedies.”

Mr Moukthar Galadima, a representative of the Development Control Unit, disclosed that approval was not given for the collapsed building.

Galadima pointed out the area where the building collapsed is an organic settlement,

“The Garki village is an indigenous community that wasn’t planned.”

Meanwhile, the Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, while on the-spot-visit to the site on Thursday, described the news as “very disturbing news”.

Wike said: ” It’s quite unfortunate that we woke up this morning to hear this very disturbing news.

“I am grateful to all rescue agencies, especially NEMA, it’s unfortunate that two persons are dead.”

Wike disclosed that the Federal Capital Territory Administration will take up the medical bills of the victims of the Garki building collapse.