Collapsed building kills mother of three in Ogun

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By Olusola AJIBIKE (Abeokuta)

NIGERIA: A COLLAPSED building has killed a 51-year-old mother of three, Modupe Bankole, in Olomore area of Abeokuta in Ogun State.

GatewayMail learnt that while another four-storey building in Leme along Moshood Abiola Way, also collapsed with no casualty, but the railings of the Olomore storey building killed Bankole.

Sources said that it was the developer constructing the building, who ordered the contractor handling the project, to pull it down in order to prevent disaster.

The unidentified developer was alleged to have condemned the railings due to the substandard materials used by the contractor and requested for the demolition.

But, while speaking with journalists, the‎ husband of the deceased, Mr. Samuel Bankole, said that the family had been living in the building for over 12 years.

Bankole, who teaches at the Army Children School, Lafenwa, Abeokuta, explained that he was preparing his lesson note when the incident happened.

He said that the house was being managed by a caretaker since the owner died about two and half years ago.

“My wife told me in the house that she was going to prepare food,” he said, adding: “After finishing the preparation, she came to me and took a small mat and a pillow and spread it out to take breeze.”

“She spread it even very far away from the collapsed decking,” the teacher said.

He further said: “I was preparing my own note of lesson that time.  I told her that when I finished writing, I will join her there.  When I finished, I came out.

“Few children were moving up and down there until suddenly a neighbour called them and sent them on errand.”

“My last born came back from his place of apprenticeship and even slept beside the mother.  He later left to see a friend,” he also said.

He further explained: “Shortly after, I just heard the sound of the collapsed decking over my head.  I believed that since my wife was not directly under that thing, she was safe and I just ran outside and started shouting ‘thank you Jesus.”

According to him, he had thought his wife was hit by the broken blocks from the building, but said that his wife was rushed to the hospital where she died shortly after her arrival.

When our correspondent visited the house, tenants were seen packing out their belongings.

When contacted, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning, Yetunde Dina, who also visited the scene, assured that the state government would investigate the incident.

Dina stressed that the ministry would deploy engineers to the house to examine whether the structure was still in good condition or not.

According to her, the remaining structure may be pulled down if found defective.

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