The Lagos State Coroner Inquest set up to probe the circumstances surrounding the collapse of a 21-storey building located in the Ikoyi area of the state killing about 46 people, has concluded that the tragic incident was as a result of negligence by agencies responsible for approval and supervision of the building project.
This indictment is contained in the report submitted by the Coroner, Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe to the state government.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had instituted the inquest following the collapse of Block B of the three high-rise buildings, which caused the death of 46 persons including Femi Osibona, the Managing Director of Fourscore Heights Ltd, owner of the ill- fated building.
Magistrate Komolafe held in the report that the building’s density and setback on the site showed a gross violation of the Lagos State Building Regulations.
The Inquest also concluded that the project board which should have boldly shown the sensitive and important information, including the names and addresses of the professionals who carried out the project, was deliberately not provided.
He further submitted that the act shows that the approving and supervising agencies did not sanction the offender, suggesting that they were compromised.
The agencies saddled with the responsibilities of ensuring quality building structure in the state are Lagos State Building Control Agency and Lagos State Material Testing Laboratory.
He said that the structural failure was due to design errors.
Magistrate Komolafe also said that there was a lack of quality assurance/control and poor management of the project.
Magistrate Komolafe, therefore, adopted the
recommendation contained in the Council for the Regulations of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) Report on the matter.
