NSEMA gives update on building collapse in Niger

The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), has said that no life was lost in a building collapse at Sabon-Gari area of Minna metropolis in Niger.

The Director-General of the agency, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba-Arah, confirmed this in a statement in Minna on Saturday.

Baba-Arah said the agency received a distress call at about 3:15 p.m. on Friday of a building collapsed at Sabon Gari area of Minna.

He said the agency alerted the emergency responding agencies for search and rescue operations.

“The search and rescue operations were conducted by officials of NSEMA, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Urban Development Board, and State Environmental Protection Agency in conjunction with the Federal Fire Service.

“The police, NSCDC, NDLEA, the Red Cross, vigilant groups and some volunteers also joined,” he said.

He said that five persons had been rescued with varying degree of injuries while two others escaped unhurt, adding that, “no one was trapped”.

According to him, preliminary investigation shows that the story building is meant for residential purpose and later converted to a warehouse.

The director general said the owner of the building had no approval to convert it to a warehouse as the building was poorly constructed with substandard materials.

Baba-Arah said the warehouse was stocked with soft drinks of about 25 trucks, which overpowered the structure resulting to its collapse.

He said the state’s Urban Development Board has ordered complete demolition of the building, adding that those injured were receiving treatment in a hospital within Minna metropolis.