The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has ordered an immediate investigation into the building collapse in Abuja that claimed four lives, directing authorities to seal off the premises as part of ongoing inquiries into the tragedy.
Wike, who visited the scene of the collapsed structure on Monday, described the incident as tragic and vowed that those responsible would face the law.
According to the minister, an engineer connected to the project had already been arrested, while the developer of the building would also be apprehended as investigations progressed.
“From the report I got, we lost four people and some lives were saved. It’s very pathetic. Nobody is happy when you lose somebody,” Wike said during the inspection.
“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.”
The FCT Minister disclosed that the Federal Capital Territory Administration had taken over the matter, while the Department of Development Control would commence preliminary investigations pending the outcome of a full panel review.
Wike also criticised developers who allegedly obstruct officials of the Federal Capital Development Administration from carrying out routine inspections and enforcing compliance with building regulations.
“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 the importance of adherence to approved building standards, including proper soil testing and the use of quality construction materials, warning that negligence in these areas often leads to avoidable 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.
He maintained that the protection of lives and property remained the primary responsibility of government, lamenting that the lives lost in the incident 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,” Wike added.
