A three-storey commercial building has collapsed in the Wuse area of Abuja, with emergency agencies conducting search and rescue operations amid uncertainty over the number of people who may have been affected.
The FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) said it received a distress call at about 7:20 p.m. on Monday, September 7, and immediately mobilised emergency responders to the scene.
The FCT Police Command, however, said it received the distress call at approximately 7:45 p.m., identifying the location as Abidjan Street, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja.
FEMD described the location as Wuse Zone 4.
In a statement issued by Nkechi Isa, Head, Public Affairs, FEMD, on Monday in Abuja, eyewitness accounts indicated that there were no casualties as of the time of the statement.
The statement said, however, that search and rescue operations were still ongoing as responders awaited the arrival of an excavator to enhance the search.
The police said no victims had been confirmed so far, but responders were continuing to search the rubble for anyone who may be trapped.
A significant development in the incident is the police disclosure that the collapsed building had previously been marked and sealed by the Department of Development Control, Abuja.
The police said preliminary investigations showed that the structure had been sealed before the collapse, while an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and its possible cause.
A police response team led by Edward Akaniyene, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, and Georgelyn Ufomadu, Area Commander, Metro, responded to the scene alongside officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Federal Fire Service (FFS), Security Service Department, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), and other relevant emergency agencies.
The agencies have commenced coordinated search and rescue operations, with authorities yet to establish the full extent of damage or confirm whether anyone remains trapped beneath the rubble.
FEMD said details concerning the number of persons affected and the cause of the collapse were still emerging.
Both agencies urged members of the public to remain calm and stay away from the affected area to give emergency responders and security personnel unrestricted access to carry out rescue operations.
The police also urged residents to remain security-conscious and promptly report suspicious activities or emergencies through their emergency lines.
Further details on casualties, the extent of damage and the circumstances surrounding the collapse are expected as search and rescue operations and investigations continue.