The landlord’s son, in whose care the collapsed three-storey building in Ebute-Meta was entrusted, said that he gave the occupants of the building a notice to quit when he discovered the visible distress on it.
The caretaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told emergency responders and newsmen on Monday in Lagos that he was living in the building with other occupants when he noticed signs of distress.
“I had to leave the building and rented an apartment in the same vicinity,” the caretaker said.
He said that the notice to quit was eventually handed over to the occupants but they failed to comply.
The caretaker said that he had not collected rental fees from the tenants for a long time as he expected them to pack out.
The building at 24 Ibadan Street, off Herbert Macaulay Way, Ebute-Meta, collapsed on Sunday night, killing eight occupants, while 23 of them were rescued alive.
Emergency workers have been working round the clock to get to ground zero of the building. (NAN)