One Killed, Two Rescued as Two-Storey Building Collapses During Demolition in Lagos

LASEMA confirms incident at Aboru, Alimosho; urges compliance with building regulations

One person has been killed and two others rescued after a two-storey building undergoing manual demolition collapsed in the Aboru area of Lagos State. The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) , Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incident in a statement on Thursday. According to him, the collapse occurred at about 12:56 a.m. on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at No. 42, Governors Road, Aboru, in the Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.

Oke-Osanyintolu stated that the Alpha Eagle Response Team of LASEMA was immediately dispatched from its Cappa, Oshodi Response Unit after receiving a distress call. The team arrived at the scene within the projected response time and confirmed that workers were trapped beneath the rubble. “On arrival, first responders confirmed that the structure had collapsed during demolition activities, with workers trapped under the debris,” Oke-Osanyintolu said. He noted that the agency activated the state’s Emergency Response Plan and took charge of the rescue operation, coordinating other emergency responders at the scene.

The LASEMA boss said two adult males were rescued alive from the rubble and given first aid by personnel of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) before they were taken to a nearby health facility for further medical attention. “Through a coordinated search and rescue operation, two adult males were extricated alive from the rubble and were promptly administered life-saving first aid by personnel of the Lagos State Ambulance Service, LASAMBUS, before being moved to a nearby health facility for further medical attention,” Oke-Osanyintolu said. He, however, said one adult male was recovered dead from beneath the collapsed structure. “Sadly, one adult male was recovered dead from beneath the collapsed structure. The agency commiserates with the family of the deceased and prays for the quick recovery of the injured,” Oke-Osanyintolu noted.

READ ALSO:

• FG Releases Eight-Month CATA Allowance to Lecturers Across Federal Tertiary Institutions
• Remi Tinubu Appeals To South-East Voters, Says She Wants To ‘Enjoy Nigeria’ In Old Age
• Police Arrest Woman Over Fake OPay Shutdown Notice
• Amaechi will be caged politically, Wike shouldn’t bother about Ikwerre votes — Wihioka

Oke-Osanyintolu said the rescue operation was being carried out jointly by LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and LASAMBUS . He added that the area had been cordoned off to protect residents and allow rescue workers to operate safely. According to the LASEMA statement, community leaders and security agencies were also collaborating with emergency responders to facilitate access and ensure that the operation was concluded safely.

The Permanent Secretary urged residents and developers to comply with building regulations and engage only certified professionals for demolition and construction work. “We urge members of the public and developers to adhere strictly to building regulations and to engage only certified professionals for demolition and construction activities,” he stated. He also urged residents to promptly report suspected unsafe building or demolition activities through the 767 and 112 toll-free emergency numbers.

Under Lagos State regulations, developers must obtain a demolition permit from the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) before commencing any demolition work. The permit application must be accompanied by documents including a copy of the existing building plan permit, a certified true copy of the title document with a survey plan, photographs of the existing structure, and a sworn affidavit indemnifying the government of any litigation. After obtaining the demolition permit, developers must notify the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) of their intention to commence demolition. They are also required to engage a registered civil or structural engineer to supervise the demolition work and ensure safety precautions are observed. Additionally, developers must obtain an insurance policy covering all risks associated with the demolition. It was not immediately clear whether the demolition at No. 42 Governors Road had the required approval or regulatory supervision.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the Lagos State Government remained committed to improving emergency response across the state, including the decentralisation of response units to achieve a 10-minute response time. According to him, the measures were aimed at ensuring that emergency responders could reach incident scenes promptly and save more lives.

The incident comes less than three months after a three-storey shopping complex collapsed in the Alakija area of Lagos State, killing at least nine people and leaving 27 others injured . The building, located on Old Ojo Road by Alakija Bus Stop, off the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Satellite Town, collapsed at about 11:37 a.m. on Thursday, June 25, 2026, prompting a large-scale emergency response involving multiple agencies . According to reports, the rescued victims sustained varying degrees of injuries and were taken to hospitals for treatment. Preliminary reports indicated that most of the victims were shop owners and customers who had begun their daily business activities.

The General Manager of LASBCA, Mrs. Florence Gbaye, subsequently announced that the agency had begun an investigation into the collapse, including a secondary structural analysis to determine the cause. She urged Lagos residents and community leaders to promptly report distressed, abandoned or suspicious buildings to the agency for immediate intervention. “Building safety is everyone’s responsibility. We encourage residents to immediately notify LASBCA of any building showing signs of distress or any incident in their environment so that necessary action can be taken before lives and property are endangered,” she said.

Building collapses occur frequently in Nigeria, with experts often attributing such incidents to aging structures, violations of building regulations, substandard construction materials and inadequate regulatory enforcement. The Lagos State Government has repeatedly emphasised the importance of compliance with building regulations and the engagement of certified professionals for all construction and demolition activities to prevent unnecessary loss of lives.