By Mary BASSEY, Senior Investigator Reporter, Lagos.
THE popular note by the late Afro beat maestro, Fela Anikulapo Kuti which says water no get enemy may obviously be the truth in all instances except when it rains in Lagos State.
For the past four days, it had been unremitting heavy downpour in the state adjudged Center of Excellence and the aftermath of the rain water had in no small measure, punctured the water not get enemy catchphrase; as it had left on its trail deaths, sorrow and anguish.
Aside the usual nauseating traffic gridlock, forcing motorists to spend the better part of their time on the road and the over-flooding of major communities associated with rainwater in Lagos, the last four days have witnessed three-building collapses and four deaths. First was the report of a building collapse at the Ita-Elewa area of Ikorodu.
Though details of that were sketchy as of the time of this report, sources said rescue operations were already ongoing to ensure that no casualty was recorded when news of another building collapse occurred along the Lekki expressway.
Though there was no record of any casualty in both incidents as confirmed by the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Femi Oke-Osayintolu, the three-storey building was said to be under construction before it caved in as a result of the heavy downpour along Lekki expressway did not leave construction workers without injuries.
Speaking to CrimeWorld during a telephone conversation, Oke-Osanyintolu said that the collapsed three-storey building is situated at Sharks Squad, LASEMA, en route Kingdom Hall Street, Abijo, along the Lekki-Epe expressway.
According to him, “The incidents along Lekki expressway and the one at Ita-Elewa area of Ikorodu happened simultaneously; while that of Lekki happened around 7.14 pm on Thursday that of Ikorodu occurred much earlier. There was no record of death in both incidents.
Three people who sustained varying degrees of injuries at the Lekki site have been treated and discharged. Our men are on the ground monitoring the situation to ensure that all is well at the site. As usual, the Lagos State Building Control Agency and the Ministry of Solid Material Testing Agency And Physical Planning had been informed for
*The bungalow swept off its foundation at Magodo-Isheri…
further investigation.”
Away from Ikorodu and Lekki was a fatal collapse of a bungalow erected on a hilltop of the Magodo-Isheri area of Lagos State on Saturday morning.
Sources said the building was swept off its foundation as a result of the torrential downpour; sending a mother and three of her children to an early grave.
The sad incident and the casualty figure was also confirmed by Dr Femi Oke-Osayintolu, adding that the tragedy happened at about 8:00 a.m.
“Aside from the four persons who have been pulled out dead, some injured victims trapped in the rubble had been rescued and rushed to the hospital where they are undergoing medical attention. Meanwhile, emergency officials are on the ground to ensure safety at the scene,” he added.
.