TheCable

The death toll from the collapse of a 21-storey building in the Ikoyi area of Lagos state has risen to 21.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos state governor, said nine persons have been evacuated alive from the rubble.

Speaking on Wednesday at the site of the collapse, the governor said a panel of inquiry has been set up to investigate the incident.

The governor said he has given the panel a 30-day deadline to submit its report. He said an executive order would be signed to give legal backing to the panel of inquiry.

“Whether they were in full compliance with physical planning and building material laws of the state; to determine whether there was any supervisory or oversight lapse on the part of regulatory authority in the state,” he said.

“The panel is to determine the number of casualty and fatalities, to examine any other matter incidental to any of the terms as stated above, and to make necessary recommendation to guard against the occurrence of such incidents in the state.”

The state government also identified six of the nine survivors rescued from the rubble. They are Oduntan Timilehin (26); Ahmed Keleku (19, from Cotonou); Sunday Monday (21, suffered left leg fracture); Adeniran Mayowa (37, hip injury); Solagbade Nurudeen (33, pelvic injury); and Waliu Lateef (32).

The governor assured that anyone found culpable in the accident would be prosecuted.

“You can rest assured that if there are other people that are found in the course of the investigation, everybody will also face the full wrath of the law,” he said.

“So, for us to get to the real issue of what had happened, I have set up a high powered commission of inquiry. It is a strong, professional, investigative panel that consists of everybody from outside of government.

“I will be signing an executive order to give legal backing to their composition so that you can start work immediately and turn out a report not later than 30 days.”