Building collapse: Ganduje orders intensified rescue operation

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje has ordered intensified rescue operations to all those trapped in the rubble of a three-storey building at the “GSM” market along Beirut road in the Kano metropolis.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, on Tuesday in Kano.

Garba also said the governor has suspended the swearing-in ceremony of commissioners earlier scheduled for Wednesday in honour of victims of the collapsed building.

“While lamenting the unfortunate incident, the governor assured that investigation is ongoing to unravel the cause of the collapsed structure which was under construction,” he quoted Ganduje as saying.

He said that the governor also shared the sad moment with the victims of Monday’s flooding that occurred in many parts of the metropolis, during which, valuable items were lost in the deluge.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed that one person died and seven others were injured in the building.

Dr Nuradeen Abdullahi, NEMA Kano Territorial Coordinator, said the incident occurred at about 3:05 p.m on Tuesday.
“The building collapsed while additional construction of stairs was ongoing,” he said.

He said so far, eight persons have been rescued and were taken to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, for treatment.

” One person died, six persons with minor injuries had been treated and discharged, while one person with multiple fractures was still receiving treatment,” the top NEMA official said.

Abdullahi said that search and rescue operations were still ongoing to rescue those trapped beneath the rubble.

NAN reports that the building was under construction but the ground floor was occupied and it was reported that people were shopping there when the building collapsed.