Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Monday ordered a full-scale investigation into the building collapse in Abuja that claimed five lives, directing that the premises be sealed off immediately.
Wike also disclosed that an engineer linked to the collapsed structure had been arrested, while the developer would equally face arrest as authorities move to unravel the cause of the incident.
The minister, who visited the scene of the collapsed building on Monday, described the tragedy as “very pathetic,” stressing that the government would not compromise on the safety of residents in the nation’s capital.
“From the report I got, we lost five people and some lives were saved. It’s very pathetic. Nobody is happy when you lose somebody,” Wike said.
“The Department of Development Control has sealed off the premises. We are going to set up a panel to really look at what happened. One of the engineers has been arrested already. From there, we’ll get to the developer, and the developer will also be arrested,” he added.
According to the minister, the FCT Administration has taken over the matter, while the Department of Development Control would conduct preliminary investigations pending the outcome of the panel’s findings.
Wike warned developers against obstructing officials of the Federal Capital Development Administration (FCDA) from carrying out routine supervision of construction projects, noting that enforcement of building regulations was often resisted.
“Sometimes when we come to a site like this, the press has not been kind to us. Instead of finding out why government is taking that decision, some people will go to blackmail government officials,” he stated.
The minister stressed that strict compliance with building standards, including proper soil testing and the use of quality construction materials, remained essential in preventing future disasters.
“In construction of buildings, we must know the quality. What materials are they using? Are they doing the soil test? What is the result of the soil test? Can it allow for two floors or three floors? All these are very key,” he said.
Wike maintained that the primary responsibility of government was the protection of lives and property, lamenting that the victims of the collapse could never be replaced.
“How can you buy back these lives? They are gone. That is the responsibility of government: to protect life and property,” the minister added.
