There seems to be an apparent discrepancy between the Lagos State government and the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) over the actual number of dead persons evacuated from the collapsed 21-storey building in the Ikoyi axis of Lagos State.
The building, which was under construction at Gerrard Road in the highbrow area of Ikoyi, collapsed on Monday, leaving the owner and some construction workers trapped under the rubble.
Ibrahim Farinloye, Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the South-West Region, had earlier on Thursday announced in a statement that 36 persons have been confirmed dead as a result of the incident.
“Out of the survivors, we have one female and eight male. Out of the dead, we have three female and 33 male dead bodies. Rescue work is still ongoing and more hands have joined the rescue team,” the statement read.
But upon visiting the scene of the incident on Thursday, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, questioned the media over the figures.
Governor Sanwo-Olu stated that 32 bodies, and not 36, have been recovered from the rubble and deposited at the Gbagada General Hospital.
According to the governor, the corpses were moved to the Gbagada General Hospital in order for autopsies to be conducted in accordance with the Lagos State Coroner Law.
He added that a missing register was opened at the scene of the building collapse on Wednesday and only 19 names have been provided as missing.
However, NEMA in another statement on Thursday afternoon maintained its stance and further announced that the death toll has increased to 38.
According to NEMA, two male bodies were recovered on Thursday afternoon, which brings the number of casualties to 38.
Of the bodies retrieved from the rubble, 35 are males and three are females, while the survivors are one male and eight females.
“Additional two male bodies were recovered some minutes ago (Thursday morning) making the death toll a total number of 38 (35 males and three females),” the statement partly read.
