One Killed, Several Trapped as Shopping Complex Collapses in Lagos

A three-storey shopping complex collapsed in the Alakija area of Lagos on Thursday, killing one person and leaving several others trapped beneath the rubble as emergency responders intensified rescue efforts.

The building, located along Old Ojo Road near Alakija Bus Stop on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Satellite Town, reportedly gave way around 11:40 a.m., triggering panic among residents and traders in the area.

Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), alongside other emergency services, were immediately deployed to the scene to search for survivors and evacuate victims from the debris.

In a statement issued by the agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, LASEMA confirmed that one fatality had been recorded while 10 persons had been rescued alive from the wreckage.

The agency said rescue operations were ongoing, noting that an undetermined number of people could still be trapped beneath the collapsed structure.

Emergency workers were seen combing through the rubble in a coordinated operation aimed at locating survivors and preventing further casualties.

A video circulating on social media shortly after the incident captured the extent of the destruction. In the footage, an eyewitness claimed that several people were inside the building when part of the structure suddenly collapsed.

“Just now a building collapsed at Alakija, and half of the building is down, and people are inside,” the witness said.

The Lagos incident occurred barely hours after a similar tragedy was reported in Rivers State, where a three-storey building under construction collapsed along Peter Odili Road in Port Harcourt.

At the Port Harcourt site, one person was feared dead while several construction workers were reportedly trapped under the debris.

A survivor, identified simply as Taiwo, said at least seven workers were caught in the collapse when the building suddenly caved in.

According to him, four victims had been rescued alive by rescue teams as of Wednesday afternoon, while efforts continued to reach others believed to be trapped.

“This morning, I went out to buy something. About eight people were working inside. One of my brothers was among them. Four people have been brought out, but others are still trapped,” he said.

The twin incidents have renewed concerns over building safety standards and compliance with construction regulations in major Nigerian cities.