KANO (Nigeria), Aug 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A three-storey building has collapsed in northwestern Nigeria, trapping shoppers in a busy neighbourhood.
Emergency response workers said that at least eight people had been pulled from the rubble on Tuesday and they were searching for more.
The building in Kano state, northern Nigeria’s commercial hub, was being constructed as a business centre though businesses were already operating on the ground floor, said Nuraddeen Abdullahi, head of Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency in Kano.
He said the building collapsed while additional stairs were added during ongoing construction.
So far, “no casualties yet (and) eight people have been rescued” from the rubble with varying injuries, Abdullahi said, adding the rescue operation was continuing.
Abdullahi said authorities have not yet confirmed the number of people trapped inside the structure.
Videos apparently recorded at the scene showed a large crowd trying to catch a glimpse of the debris pile as rescue workers arrived with tools.
On social media, Nigerians urged authorities to take action against the trend of building collapses across the country.
In the past year, there have been more than 10 building collapses in this West African nation, often with authorities being accused of failing to enforce building safety regulations. — NNN-AGENCIES
