Lagos building collapse: 1 week after, death toll hits 44

Two more male bodies have been recovered from the collapsed 21-storey building in Ikoyi, Lagos.

This came after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu declared 42 people dead earlier on Saturday, thereby increasing the death toll from 42 to 44 with 15 survivors.

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Meanwhile, the federal government has directed the Army Corps of Engineers to assist in the rescue operation.

The Head of Army Corps of Engineers, Brigadier General Omali, arrived the site yesterday and received by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), as well as the Lagos State Commissioners for Special Duties and Physical Planning.

Gen Omali said the army team was at the site based on a directive from Abuja.

Earlier, Gov Sanwo-Olu disclosed a plan by the state government to give incentives to victims of the building collapse.

He said, “We don’t need to publicly announce the issue of incentives, but we want to be sure that we are dealing with the right people,” adding that psycho-social treatment is being carried out on survivors. 

From Abdullateef Aliyu, Christiana T. Alabi & Eugene Agha, Lagos