The Lagos State Government says the collapsed seven-storey building was sealed three times but the developer breached the seal and continued with construction.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development in the state, Idris Salako, was speaking at the scene of the building  collapse on Sunday.

Mr Salako said the developer was hostile to the agency’s officials sent to seal the site.

He said the developer contravened the state law by refusing to get a permit before the commencement of construction on the site.

The commissioner said the case will be investigated, adding that the state police command will disclose the identity of the developer.

“We have a developer that is hostile and who contravened the law of the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning, 2019, as amended, and he did not get the necessary planning permit that will allow him to do that. He did not have the prerequisite authorisation to commence construction on the site,” Mr Salako said.

“Several times, the officers of the Lagos State Building Control Agency have visited this site and the attitude of the contractor has been that of hostility, he has been using his personal security to stop them from carrying out their lawful duty. 

“But, the government will look at the site and investigate and we will look at the necessary thing to be done; the law is clear on what should be done and we will apply that.

“The developer has been dropping names any time our officers visit the place; we have sealed the site three times and he kept breaking the seal. Again, what were those trapped doing on site that time?”

Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Olufemi Osanyin-Tolu, said the collapsed building was sealed on 18 February, 2021.

He added that the recovered bodies have been taken to the morgue.

Ibrahim Farinloye, southwest coordinator for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said that family members have not come forward to claim the bodies of the affected victims.

On Sunday morning, a seven-storey building collapsed at Palace Estate, Oba Idowu Oniru street beside Avi Maria hospital.

Six persons were trapped under the debris, while two bodies were recovered by the emergency responders.