North West governors visit site of Ikoyi collapsed building

North-West governors on Wednesday paid a condolence visit to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State over the 21-storey collapsed building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi which killed 45 people on November 1. 

The North West Governors Forum represented by its chairman and Kastina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, and his Kano counterpart, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, sympathised with the people of Lagos and families of those who died in the unfortunate incident. 

• NIGERIA DAILY: How ‘dead bodies litter’ the street of Jalingo
• El-Rufai: Cameroon shut down its refinery because of cheap fuel from Nigeria

They commended Sanwo-Olu for setting up a Tribunal of Inquiry to unravel issues surrounding the collapsed building.

 Speaking during the visit to the collapsed building, Masari said, “We are here representing governors of North-West to physically come to condole with Governor Sanwo-Olu, families of the deceased and the entire Lagos community on the unfortunate incident that has happened.”

 Stating that high rise buildings could not be avoided in Lagos State, he appealed to all stakeholders to ensure such buildings would not cost lives and properties of people.

Also speaking, Ganduje commended Sanwo-Olu for taking immediate action to show concern during the collapsed building.

He said, “Lagos is a mega city. Comparing it to other megacities in the world and considering the circumstances of Lagos due to lack of adequate land for development, increase in population and high density, the issue of building high rise is absolutely necessary and cannot be avoided but it is unfortunate that we have found ourselves in what happened.”

 Responding, Sanwo-Olu appreciated the governors for commiserating with the government and people of Lagos State over the Ikoyi collapsed building.

 “We have had various degrees of tribulations and very difficult moments for us as a state and there have been lessons learnt.

“We are all aware of the investigation into the collapsed building. It gladdens me to know that while Lagos is grieving, we are not alone.

“That is why I am excited and happy that some of my senior colleagues and brothers have come here to express solidarity and to also sympathise with the government and people of Lagos State,” he said.