A devastating building collapse in Ilorin, Kwara State, has claimed the lives of a mother and four of her children, leaving the community in mourning.
The tragedy occurred around 5 a.m. on Tuesday at a three-storey building located on Popo Giwa Street, beside Gogoro Mosque, in Ilorin West Local Government Area.
According to emergency officials, eight members of the same family were trapped after part of the building collapsed. Four victims were recovered dead, while another four, including the father, were rescued and taken to hospital for treatment.
A rescuer identified as Abdul described the operation as heartbreaking, saying the mother was found dead with her youngest child, believed to be between five and seven years old, lying on her chest beneath the rubble.
He explained that rescuers later heard the voice of the father, who had been in the toilet performing ablution when the collapse occurred. His location helped rescuers identify where to dig, while wooden materials from the old structure reportedly prevented a heavy pillar from striking him directly.
The father, said to be a serving military officer currently on medical leave, was eventually pulled from the rubble alive.
One of the deceased victims was reportedly the family’s eldest daughter and a student of Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. She was expected to begin her National Youth Service Corps programme on Thursday.
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The Kwara State Fire Service confirmed that it received a distress call at about 5 a.m. and immediately mobilised rescue personnel to the scene. An excavator was also deployed to assist in clearing the debris.
The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said all eight trapped persons were members of the same family. The survivors were taken to hospital, while the bodies of those who died were evacuated.
The Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Ojo Adekimi, said preliminary findings indicated that the collapsed section was the boys’ quarters of the building. He added that occupants of the main building were evacuated as authorities moved to assess the structural condition of the remaining structure.
The exact cause of the collapse has not yet been established. Officials said a proper structural assessment would be conducted before any conclusion is reached.
Several agencies, including SEMA, NEMA, the Fire Service, police, NSCDC, Red Cross and health officials, participated in the rescue operation.
Authorities have urged residents and property developers to comply with building regulations and to immediately evacuate buildings whenever they notice cracks, structural defects or other warning signs.
The incident has once again raised concerns about building safety and the need for strict enforcement of construction standards to prevent avoidable loss of lives.
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