Twenty bodies have so far been recovered from under the rubble at the site of a 21-storey building that collapsed in the Ikoyi area of Lagos state.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Tuesday evening, 2 November, disclosed the casualty figure.
The rescue operation has witnessed nine people rescued alive, and those injured victims are receiving treatment at the Lagos Island General Hospital, Marina.
Among the recovered bodies was the personal assistant to Femi Osibona, the managing director of Fourscore Heights Limited. Identified simply as Nifemi, the personal assistant’s body was taken out of the rubble on Tuesday evening.
The building located at 20 Gerrard Road collapsed around 2:00 p.m. on Monday while workers were working at the site.
Over 50 people were trapped at the time of the collapse. Families and friends of the victims have accused the rescue workers of operating at a slow pace, Peoples Gazette reports.
However, rescue workers are still searching for more survivors.
Meanwhile, Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has directed the establishment of an independent panel to probe the disaster.
Members will be drawn from the Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA), Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), and other professional bodies.
The committee will investigate the remote and immediate causes of the incident and make recommendations on how to prevent future occurrences.
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