The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) has disclosed that the agency received a distressed call at 3:15pm,on Friday, 17/5/24,of building collapse at Sabon Gari area of Minna,the Niger State Capital.
Statement issued by the NSEMA spokesman, Hussaini, stated that the agency quickly alerts responding agencies for search and rescue operations.
It explained that search and rescue operations were conducted under the leadership of NSEMA,NEMA, NIGER STATE URBAN DEVELOPMENT BOARD, and STATE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AGENCY, in conjunction with the Federal Fire Service, The Police, NSCDC, NDLEA, The Red Cross, Vigilante groups and some volunteers.
Statement noted that no Life Was Lost, adding that 5 people were rescued with various degrees of injuries, while 2 people escaped on hurt.
It further stressed that an excavator was brought in to help in clearing the debris for possible entrapment, noting that NEMA also brought life dictating gadgets, while, after intensive search for about 3 hours, no one was trapped.
Meanwhile,the statement revealed that the story building was initially designed for residential purposes and later converted to a warehouse.
According to the statement, the owner of the building has no official approval for a change of purpose, and it was also poorly constructed with substandard materials, and the warehouse was full to the brim with soft drinks of about 25 trucks, which overpowered the structure that led to its collapse.
The Niger State Urban Development Board has ordered for complete demolition of the structure.
NSEMA had assured that already the agency is handling the situation of those injured and hospitalized.