The Federal Capital Territory FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) on Sunday declared seven people died in the building that collapsed on Saturday at Sabon Lugbe along the Airport Road.
FEMD dismissed as untrue media reports that 40 persons were trapped in the rubble.
A statement by FEMD Head Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa said: āFEMD wishes to clarify that the said structure located at Gidash EstateĀ was one of the buildings earmarked for removal by the Department of Development Control.
āIn a statement at the incident site, the Ag. Director General of FEMD, Engr Abdulrahman Mohammed said that 7 persons who were scavenging for iron rods and other building materials lost their lives in the process.
āWhat happened is that the structure was marked for removal by development control. So these boys taking advantage of the fact that there would be no dem0lition exercise at Weekend, moved in to strip the iron rods in the pillar holding up the building leading to the unfortunate incidentā.He said.
āEngr Abdulrahman also stated that the Chairman Miyetti Allah ,FCT chapter, Mohammed Hussein confirmed to FEMD that 5 members of the association were removed dead from the rubble.
āSeven other persons were rescued alive from the rubble of the c0llapsed building.ā
Peoplesmind
