Ikoyi building collapse: Sanwo-Olu inaugurates six-man panel

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Thursday, formally inaugurated a six-man independent investigation team, to probe the remote and immediate cause of the collapse of a 21-storey building in Ikoyi.

The panel has 30 days to submit its report.

Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, named members of the probe panel at the scene of the incident, with the list comprising professional builder, town planner, structural engineer and legal practitioners – all from the private sector.

President of Nigeria Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Mr. Toyin Ayinde, is the chairman of the panel, while Ekundayo Onajobi, a lawyer in private law firm, is the Secretary.

Other panel members are a structural engineer, Dr. Akintilo Idris Adeleke; an architect, Yinka Ogundairo; representative of Institute of Builders, Mr. Godfrey O. Godfrey, and Mrs. Bunmi Ibrahim, a property lawyer.

The panel’s terms of reference also include ascertaining whether there was a compromise of the building codes by the developer, his contractor and statutory regulatory agencies.

Already, General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Arc. Gbolahan Oki, has been suspended indefinitely by the Governor.

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Sanwo-Olu was on an official visit to Rome in Italy for G-20 Summit when he learnt of the incident on Monday. The Governor cut short his trip and returned to Lagos on Tuesday to attend to the emergency.

Arriving at the scene, the Governor met with the victims’ family members, raising their hopes and showing compassion to calm them.

Describing the event as “a monumental disaster”, the governor hinted that mistakes must have been made in the process of developing the collapsed structure. He promised a thorough inquiry into the matter, adding that the full wrath of the law would be brought on anyone found to have compromised.

The Governor charged the investigative team to explore all angles to determine the cause of the collapse.

The State Government set up a medical base and information desk at the site of the building collapse, urging those whose family members were still missing to offer information on identity.

There is also a website (www.lagosmind.org/help) and helpline number (09090006463) for the distress family.

Those rescued from the rubbles include, Oduntan Timilehin, 26; Sunday Monday, 21; Adeniran Mayowa, 37; Sholagbade Nurudeen, 33; Waliu Lateef, 32, and Ahmed Kanleku, a 19-year-old Beninoise.