FCT collapse probe: Wike orders site sealed, developer , Engineers target after fatal building failure

FAVOUR ISHEMBER, Abuja

A deadly building collapse in Abuja has killed four people and injured others, prompting immediate action from FCT Minister, Barr Nyesom Wike.

The Minister has launched a full investigation, ordered the site shut down, and directed police to detain the developer and site engineers.

The incident has rattled the Federal capital. Early findings point to a catastrophic foundation failure triggered by a buried, badly backfilled local well that went undetected before construction began.

Wike visited the site on Monday and looked shaken as he offered condolences. He called the loss “very pathetic” and confirmed that one site engineer is already in custody, with the developer slated for arrest next.

“From the report I got, we lost four persons. Nobody is happy when you lose somebody. The government is taking over this site. The Department of Development Control has sealed off the premises, and we are setting up an expert panel to really look at what happened,” he said.

The Minister issued a blunt warning to builders who skip regulatory checks. He stressed that building codes exist to protect lives, not to block urban growth, and questioned both material quality and the foundation decisions made during construction.

“When you are constructing buildings of this nature, the lives of the people are very, very important. We must know the quality of materials. What does the soil test allow? Can it support two or three floors? Will it allow for piling or a raft foundation? All these are key,” Wike emphasized.

He also hit back at media outlets and critics who accuse officials of harassment when enforcement happens.

“Sometimes when we come to a site like this, the press has not been kind to us. Instead of finding out why the government is taking action, some people resort to blackmailing government officials to look for money. But look at these lives.

How can you buy back these lives? They are gone. It is the responsibility of government to protect life and property.”

Also speaking, Bashir Madaki Sanusi, Director of the Department of Development Control, explained that an independent integrity test by consultant Mr. Emeko uncovered serious underground problems hidden from the builders.

The soil consisted of old dredged waterway deposits built up over years. Directly under the construction footprint was a historic local well filled with loose debris and clay. The building team didn’t know it was there.

“Columns C and D were placed right above this hidden pit. The well was 2 meters deep, but the columns extended only 1.5 meters. That shortfall created the structural gap that caused the collapse”.

Sanusi defended his department’s process, noting that standard soil tests and approvals showed no red flags beforehand, and inspectors supervised every stage from foundation to the final floor.

He said surface-level tests can’t detect a backfilled well packed with debris and clay underground.

The Department of Development Control will wrap up its preliminary review. An independent panel will then examine the structural designs, verify soil test records, and review supervision logs to assign responsibility for the fatal collapse.

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