Wike orders probe, seals Abuja building site after collapse kills five

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has ordered a full investigation into the collapse of a building under construction in Abuja, which claimed five lives and left several others injured.

 

Wike also directed the immediate sealing of the construction site located in the Durumi 3 area near Gudu Market within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.

 

The three-storey building collapsed on Saturday morning.

 

Speaking during a visit to the scene on Monday, the minister described the incident as tragic and confirmed that enforcement actions had already commenced, including arrests linked to the project.

 

“From the report I got, we lost five people and some lives were saved. It’s very pathetic. Nobody is happy when you lose somebody,” Wike said.

 

He disclosed that the Department of Development Control had sealed off the premises pending the outcome of investigations.

 

“The Department of Development Control has sealed off the premises. We are going to set up a panel to really look at what happened.

 

“One of the engineers has been arrested already. From there, we will get to the developer, and he or she will be arrested,” he added.

 

Wike said the Federal Capital Territory Administration would conduct a detailed investigation into the cause of the collapse and determine whether building regulations were violated.

 

He warned developers against obstructing regulatory agencies responsible for monitoring construction projects in the nation’s capital.

 

The minister stressed the need for strict compliance with building standards, including proper soil testing and the use of approved construction materials.

 

“In the construction of buildings, we must know the quality. What materials are they using? Are they doing the soil test? What is the result of the soil test? Can it allow for two floors or three floors? All these are very key,” he said.

 

Wike lamented the loss of lives, noting that government’s primary responsibility remained the protection of lives and property.

 

“How can you buy back these lives? They are gone. That is the responsibility of government: to protect life and property,” he said.