Residents of the Odo-Kekere Community in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, on Thursday evening, were thrown into panic following the sudden partial collapse of a structure in a local public school in the area.
The incident, which occurred after school hours, has been
described as divine intervention.
According to a source, a section of the school building gave
way late Thursday with a thunderous sound that drew neighbours to the scene.
First responders from the Lagos State Emergency Management
Agency, LASEMA, and the Lagos State Building Control Agency LASBCA, raced to
the scene promptly and cordoned off the area for safety purposes.
As of press time, the remote cause of incident and extent of
damage were being investigated, while preliminary reports confirmed that
students were not in the classrooms at the time of the collapse.
Emergency teams are currently conducting search and rescue
operation to ensure no security guards or staff members were trapped in the
rubble.
An eyewitness and resident, Mrs Boluwaji Aderinto, whose
building is adjacent to the scene, expressed concerns of parents and community
leaders in the area over safety measures by relevant authorities as they have
earlier called for the renovation of aging educational infrastructure in the
axis.
According to Aderinto, “We heard a loud crack and then dust
everywhere. We thank God it didn’t happen in the morning when the children were
in their desks. This is a wake-up call for the government.”
Meanwhile, high delegation from the State Ministry of
Education has visited the scene for on-the-spot assessment and necessary
action.
A senior officer of the ministry who confirmed the situation
on condition of anonymity said, “We have officers on site, including the
Tutor General/Permanent Secretary, Education District II, already assessing the
situation for further action.”
This incident has raised serious concerns over the condition
of buildings in both private and public schools in Lagos, with the call for
immediate overhaul of structures across primary and secondary schools in the
interest of public safety.
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