BCPG: Lack of Official Investigation of Collapsed Buildings in Lekki Fuels Reoccurrence

Bennett Oghifo

The collapse of buildings in Lekki in quick succession and without official investigation of the causes portends serious danger of reoccurrence.
The Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), Lekki Cell said this in a statement, signed by Arc Wunmi Agbaje, FNIA, Coordinator,
BCPG Lekki Cell, and Bldr. Godfrey C. Godfrey, FNIOB, General Secretary, BCPG Lekki Cell.

According to the statement, “On Tuesday, January 28, 2025, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) announced the collapse of a two-storey building under construction at the gated Northern Foreshore Estate, Off Chevron Drive, Lekki, Lagos State, leading to the death of two persons. On the same day, a three- storey building under construction collapsed at Mega Mall Estate, Mobil Road, Inikpa, Ikota, Lekki, killing 2 persons, according to the National Emergency Management Agency  ( NEMA).

“Rescue operations with the aid of heavy-duty plant and equipment dismantled and compressed the carcass, thereby destroying part of the evidence required for investigations and, at times, subjecting the survivors to the risk of being squeezed in the rubble. Sophisticated plant and equipment are more ideal for rescue operations.

“On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, a four-storey building under construction collapsed at Oriwu Street, Lekki Phase One, resulting in the death of four persons while many people were injured.

“Members of the BCPG Lekki Cell, who paid a technical visit to the site, based on observation and information garnered from the grapevine, saw the urgent need to investigate this collapsed building.
“However, the hope of getting the government to investigate this collapse might be dim drawing from the experience of the neighbouring BCPG Iru- Victoria Island Cell when a nine – storey building under construction collapsed at Prince Idowu Abiodun Road, Oniru, Victoria Island Extension on Sunday, September 9, 2022. Four persons were killed in that calamitous building collapse. All documented efforts by the BCPG to ensure that the collapsed building was investigated by the government did not yield success.

“A similar perturbing experience was encountered in that same local government area when a five-storey building under construction collapsed at 4.25 pm on Monday, November 4, 2013, within the premises of Iru- Victoria Island Eti Osa Local Council Development Area along Muri Okunola Street. At a meeting held with the then chairman of the local government, Hon. Abayomi Daramola, on Wednesday, November 13, 2013, the BCPG leadership advised the government to conduct a post- mortem analysis or investigations with the intention to establish the scientific based reasons why the building collapsed.

“There was also the debate on the punishment to be meted out to the local government over the collapsed building. Would the local government accept to forfeit its land to the Lagos State Government in accordance with the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law of 2010, Specifically, Section 74 ( same as in the revised LASBCA Regulations of 2019…Section 25, sub-section 4)? The outcome? There was neither official investigation nor forfeiture of land.
“Such inaction on the part of the government could be interpreted as a deliberate protection of culpable individuals.

“It is pertinent to reiterate that unravelling the cause (s) of a building collapse and implementing the recommendations will help prevent future building collapses.

“Moreover, the law requires an investigation of a collapsed building before the land can be confiscated by the government.
“The Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law, CAP U2 Lagos State Building Control Agency Regulations, 2019,  section 25 sub-section 4 stipulates that,
“Any structure, which collapses due to negligence on the part of the developer of the property, shall be sealed off and forfeited to the State Government after due investigation and publication of the notice of forfeiture in the State Official Gazette.”

The Guild said, “When a three-storey building under construction at No 13, Wilson Mba Street, Arowojobe Estate, Mende in Maryland, Lagos collapsed on Thursday, July 25, 2024, causing the death of five or six persons, the BCPG Kosofe Cell, having discovered some anomalies in its preliminary investigation, in an open letter to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu demanded an official investigation. Up till today, there has been no investigation carried out. This creates room for speculations that the developer of the building must be very influential. Does it mean the land is yet to be confiscated by the government?
“The collapse of a three-storey building under construction within an estate on Ajiran Road, Agungi, Lekki on Tuesday, September 22, 2015 made BCPG Lekki Cell members alert the public on the dominance of quacks in the construction works in some Lekki estates. The need for developers to seek and verify the qualifications of those being given sensitive site roles was emphasised.

“At this juncture, it is apposite to bring to fore the lessons learnt from the Lekki Gardens’ six- storey building under construction that collapsed at Kusenla Street, Ikate- Elegushi in Lekki on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. This tragedy terminated the lives of 34 people prematurely, while about 12 persons sustained injuries. BCPG Lekki Cell members in collaboration with the Nigeria Police mounted day and night watch over the site to make sure that no evidence was taken out of the site.
“The Nigeria Police, in a letter dated 18th March, 2016 and referenced AR: 3000/LSX/D4/ T.D/ Vol.D / 379 assigned the Building Collapse Prevention Guild a role in the investigation of the collapsed building.

“The comprehensive, technical investigation report of BCPG was used as the instrument for prosecution in the court.
“If the recommendations of the investigation panel had been implemented, repeated collapses of buildings, especially those under construction in Lekki, might have been prevented.

“Lack of consequence begets impunity –The culture of elevating sentiments above justice, the norm of ‘asemalu’ , the Lagos Island Yoruba parlance, interpreted as pampering the wayward, the offender.

“On Thursday, April 27, 2017, Lekki Peninsular recorded another collapse of building under construction at NICON Town Estate, Elegushi, along Lekki – Epe Expressway. Two lives were lost in the partial collapse of a two-storey building. The preliminary on-site investigation conducted by BCPG Lekki Cell showed that the unnecessary destruction of property and loss of lives could have been averted if BCPG warnings had been taken seriously.
“The BCPG record of building collapse in Nigeria is used across the world by the media,  researchers, and others. Hence, dates, causes of collapsed buildings, number of deaths, number of the injured, and other data require accuracy.

“In carrying out this exercise, there are challenges of information concealment: The developer who, naturally,  would not want the government to take over the land of his or her collapsed building; The government or LASBCA official who considers collapsed building, especially the one under construction, a serious indictment; and The reluctance at disclosing a high death toll because of public outcry is part of the challenges.

“Hence, a collapsed building in the midst of a housing estate might be surreptitiously and completely demolished, carted away, with all those present swearing to an oath of secrecy. But CCTV cameras and smart phones hardly keep secrets in this era of social media. For those well secured, gated estates where accessibility is very difficult, making it possible for the building plan approval obtained for one building to be used illegally for the construction of ten buildings, drones and advanced technology should be engaged in monitoring. They are immune to bribes, compromises, connivances, and other human weaknesses that are prevalent in site monitoring work ( building control).

“Under this circumstance, the relevance of the LASBCA Regulations should prevail. Section 25 of the regulations stipulates that: Any developer, agent, occupier of any collapsed structure, shall within twenty-four (24) hours of such collapse report to the nearest office of the Agency or the nearest police station stating -the cause(s) of such collapse; the extent of damage to the adjourning properties; injury to person(s); and the fatality.

“Any Developer or occupier of any collapsed structure, who fails to comply with sub-regulation (1) of this Regulation, commits an offence.
“The Agency shall immediately, on detecting or being informed of such collapse, cordon off the site for safety precaution and further investigation.
“In the light of the foregoing, we appeal to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr.  Babajide Sanwo-Olu to ensure that the relevant aspects of the laws of the state that can help reduce the incessant collapse of buildings and save lives are implemented.

“The Commissioner of Health should readily disclose to the public the total number of casualties caused by building collapse, including that of any injured person (s) who later died in the hospital.

“Members of the BCPG Lekki Cell are going to embark on a voluntary exercise. We are going to tour round Lekki Peninsular to find out the current state/use of the collapsed building lands that ought to have been forfeited to the government.

“Courageous professionals with unquestionable integrity who are willing to witness this exercise should not hesitate to reach out to Building Collapse Prevention Guild,  a coalition of professionals, like minds driven by unalloyed passion for standard building construction.

“The transformation of Lekki Peninsular from political detention camps to the hub of magnificent housing estates is heartwarming. BCPG is proud of the massive developments and huge investments.

“Developers should be applauded for this great achievement. However, whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. Developers should use quality materials and engage competent professionals for their building projects in order to safeguard and preserve their investments for future generations’ use. Buildings, when constructed to standards, can become an enduring legacy, monumental, lasting for ages.

“The need to ensure that housing development is not meant for every Tom, Dick and Harry cannot be overemphasised. The real estate sector needs to be well regulated. Those who want to engage in the housing business should endeavour to join the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) for induction and training in the ethics and acceptable practices of housing business. For the recalcitrant developers, enforcement and blacklisting should be the antidote.”