ABUJA — The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has appealed for calm after a three-storey building collapsed on Abidjan Street in Wuse Zone 3, Abuja, on Monday night.
The command said it received a distress call about the collapse at approximately 7:45pm and immediately mobilised personnel to the location as search and rescue efforts got underway.
Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said the response team was led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, ACP Edward Akaniyene, and the Area Commander, Metro, ACP Georgelyn Ufomadu.
The police team was joined at the scene by personnel from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Federal Fire Service, Security Service Department, Federal Capital Territory Administration and other emergency response agencies.
The agencies commenced search and rescue operations shortly after arriving at the site, with efforts focused on determining whether anyone was inside the structure when it collapsed.
Building Had Been Marked and Sealed
Adeh said preliminary findings showed that the building had previously been marked and sealed by the Department of Development Control in Abuja after a crack was discovered on the structure.
Despite the earlier intervention, the building subsequently collapsed on Monday night.
The police said no victims had been confirmed at the time of the statement, although rescue personnel remained at the scene searching through the rubble for anyone who might have been trapped.
“So far, no victims have been confirmed,” Adeh said.
She added that emergency personnel would continue the search until the possibility of people being trapped beneath the debris had been properly addressed.
Investigation Underway
The police said an investigation had also commenced to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse and determine its possible cause.
Adeh said further information concerning the extent of damage would be released as the response operation progresses and more facts become available.
The command urged members of the public to stay away from the affected area while emergency workers conduct their operations.
It also asked residents to remain security-conscious and cooperate with personnel at the scene to ensure that search and rescue activities are not obstructed.
The ongoing operation is being coordinated with relevant emergency and government agencies, while investigators work to establish how a structure previously sealed after cracks were detected eventually collapsed.
For now, authorities have not confirmed any casualty from the incident, and search operations remain ongoing as responders continue examining the rubble.
Abuja Building Collapse: Police Urge Calm as Search Operations Continue in Wuse
