Collapsed Ikoyi building death toll hits 44

The death toll recorded at the 21-storey building that collapsed on Gerrard Road in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State on Monday, November 1, has hit 44.

The figure was discovered as rescue operations are still ongoing by rescue agencies just as the responders were already concluding their operation as the death toll on Sunday.

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The Ikoyi skyscraper owned by Fourscore Heights Limited, had trapped over 50 persons including the firm’s Managing Director, Femi Osibona, his bosom friend, a United States of America-based Nigerian businessman, Wale Bob-Oseni, his personal assistant, Oyinye Enekwe, clients and, casual workers and many others.

Other identified deceased persons included a member of the National Youth Service Corps, identified as Oyindamola who was posted to the facility after relocating from her primary place of assignment in Borno State for fear Boko Haram, an aluminium fabricator, Kenneth Out, an engineer and a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Living Water Parish, Ibafo, Ogun State, Ola Ogunfunwa, among others.

Since the Ikoyi building collapse incident happened, family members of victims and sympathisers had thronged the area daily, hoping to see their loved ones alive, while some lamented that they were not allowed to identify their loved ones.

The affected families were, however, granted access on Saturday to find their loved ones among the corpses recovered and deposited in the Lagos Mainland Hospital morgue.

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday around 6pm, announced that 42 bodies had been recovered so far from the rubble.

However, a source said on Sunday that two more bodies were recovered from the rubble, which increased the death toll to 44.

The source said one of the bodies was recovered around 8pm on Saturday, while the other body was recovered around midnight.

“The recovery operation is still ongoing but should end by Monday morning. The work is about two per cent to completion,” the source added.