One person has been reported dead in a storey building collapse which happened early on Tuesday morning in Akure, Ondo state capital.
Government rescue agents have not arrived the scene of the incident as of the time of publishing this report.
Building collapse in Nigeria in the last few decades is a growing concern. Many of the documented cases of building collapse in Nigeria are due to the use of defective or substandard building materials, no requisite technical knowledge, non-adherence to building codes and standards, the use of non-professionals, and the high level of corruption which has ravaged every sphere of the construction industry including government and private parastatals.
A man present at the ground of the incident who spoke to BBC News Yoruba advised that citizens, environment professionals and government must act to prevent the common problem of building collapse in Nigeria generally. According to the middle-aged man, “responsible government agencies and professional bodies must create awareness of the need to obtain planning permission before building. They must also insist on the need to engage professionals in the construction of buildings”.
