A 25-year-old labourer has reportedly died after a foundation wall collapsed at an excavation site in Abuja, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The incident occurred around 5:50 p.m. on Monday at the premises of Radio House, Area 8, Garki according to a statement issued by Head of Public Affairs, Emergency Management Department (FEMD), FCT chapter, Nkechi Isa.
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The statement indicates that two workers were trapped after the wall gave way while they were excavating about seven feet underground in the building.
It noted that while one was rescued alive, the other person was fatally injured and later died.
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Reacting to the tragedy, the acting Director-General of FEMD, Abdulrahman Mohammed, called for strict adherence to safety regulations at construction sites to avoid similar unfortunate incidents.
Mr Mohammed noted the importance of professionals in the building sector and urged developers to shun quacks.
He also urged residents to always call the 112 emergency toll-free number in case of any disaster.
A recurring tragedy
Incidents of building collapse are not uncommon in Abuja and other parts of Nigeria. In August 2022, two people were killed while four others were injured, after a three-storey building under reconstruction collapsed in Kubwa, a satellite town in Abuja.
In February 2023, another building under construction came down in Gwarinpa after developers illegally added extra floors. Reports stated that at least three people died while more than 20 were rescued alive.
Experts have blamed weak enforcement of building codes, use of substandard materials, and reliance on unqualified artisans for the rising cases.
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The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) and the Department of Development Control have on several occasions demolished unapproved structures and warned developers against cutting corners.
In May 2025, the FCT authorities announced the demolition of more than 10 duplexes built on green areas and waterways in Wumba and Utako, warning that it would no longer tolerate violations of the Abuja Master Plan.
