Building
Nigeria has recorded 1,574 deaths from 627 reported building collapses between 1974 and 2024, according to the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG).
In a release, the Guild highlighted that the first recorded building collapse in Nigeria occurred in October 1974 in Oyo State, where a multi-story building collapsed due to excessive loading, killing 27 people.
The BCPG noted, “From October 1, 1974, to September 17, 2024, 1,574 deaths were recorded in 627 building collapses across Nigeria. The first incident happened in Oyo State in October 1974 when a multi-story building collapsed from excessive loading, resulting in 27 fatalities.”
The latest collapse in BCPG’s records took place in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State on September 16, 2024, during a heavy downpour, injuring four people.
The Guild also marked the 10th anniversary of the Synagogue Church of All Nations building collapse, which claimed 116 lives in 2014. Recalling the tragic event, BCPG stated, “On Friday, September 12, 2014, a 7-story multipurpose building within the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed in Ikotun, Lagos, killing 116 people, including foreigners.”
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BCPG members responded to the disaster and were later tasked by a coroner’s inquest to investigate the collapse. “Our independent investigation yielded a comprehensive report that played a key role in the court proceedings.”
Reflecting on the anniversary, the Guild questioned the progress of the court case, urging the Lagos State Attorney General to address the matter, stating, “Justice delayed is justice denied.” The Guild argued that a lack of consequences fosters a culture of impunity.
Since the Synagogue collapse, BCPG has recorded 306 additional collapses, resulting in 508 more deaths. The Guild emphasized, “This preventable loss of lives and waste of building materials must stop.”
On the anniversary, BCPG members offered prayers for those lost and called on Nigerians to prioritize safety in construction, urging, “Prevention is superior to damage control.”
