A three-storey building that houses a pentecostal church, a renowned pharmaceutical store, supermarket and other business outlets at Adabor junction, Ashi, Bodija in Ibadan North local government area collapsed at Sunday midnight but no life was lost except goods and wares worth millions of naira that were trapped under the rubble.
A similar incident occurred in the area barely two months ago when an uncompleted five-floor hotel building located at Awosika avenue caved in.
Sunday midnight incident has created fear in the minds of the residents and shop owners in the area.
The people are worried about the magnitude of the losses and the danger it portends on the lives of the people.
A witness’ account disclosed that the occupants of the building were not around when the incident occurred except the security guard.
He stated that the deafening noise that resulted from the collapse of the building drew the attention of the passersby who later scampered for safety.
The owner of one of the stores who identified herself as Sade Aderibigbe said, “We suddenly heard a loud shaking noise in the midnight,m; we were scared because we thought it was armed robbers.
“We rushed out to the scene; on getting there, we saw that the building had sunk and collapsed.”
Also, Tunde Abulesowo said the land on which the building was built was formerly a cemetery before it was sold.
“When the land was sold, all the corpses in the cemetery were exhumed before the building was erected, the building was built during the administration of Late Chief Adebayo Alao Akala.
“The building has been giving a sign of cracking before it later came down, resulting in the destruction of goods and wares valued at millions of naira.
“We are making efforts to salvage the goods and make sure hoodlums don’t have access to it so that they won’t cart it away. We have called the Police and NEMA; no life was lost and nobody was injured.”
The officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA), Oyo State Fire Service Agency, the Police and men of the Western Security Network Agency code-named Amotekun have beefed up security around the place.
Also, efforts are being intensified to clear the rubble to enable evacuation of trapped commodities. (Tribune)
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