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Building collapses in Abuja's Durumi area killing five people with rescue operations ongoing for those still trapped
A building collapsed in the Durumi 3 area of Abuja near the popular Goodwill Market, killing at least five people. Fifteen victims have been recovered so far, with nine treated and discharged and one in critical condition. About sixty people were estimated to be inside the building when it came down. Rescue operations continue as authorities suspect more people may be trapped.
A building collapsed in the Durumi 3 area of Abuja, Nigeria's capital, near the popular Goodwill Market, killing at least five people. According to the Mandate Secretary for Health and Human Services in the Federal Capital Territory, about sixty people were estimated to have been inside the building when it came down.
As of the latest update, fifteen victims have been pulled from the rubble. Five were brought out dead, nine have been treated and discharged, and one remains in critical condition in hospital. The last person brought out alive was described as a miracle, having been stabilized and treated on site before being transferred to hospital.
Emergency services, including search and rescue teams and ambulances, remain stationed at the scene. Authorities are optimistic that more people may be found alive, though the operation faces complications from the structural instability of adjacent buildings constructed by the same contractor.
The FCT health official described the incident as avoidable, stating that if proper building approval, environmental impact assessments, soil tests and integrity tests had been carried out, the collapse would not have happened. The building next to the collapsed structure is also showing signs of structural failure, with pillars giving way due to vibrations from rescue equipment.
The FCT administration has promised to investigate the causes of the collapse. All three buildings on the site were constructed by the same contractor, raising serious questions about construction standards and regulatory oversight in the Nigerian capital. The incident has reignited calls for stricter enforcement of building codes across the country.