The Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, has directed security agencies to arrest officials of the Federal Housing Authority and a developer over the collapse of a suspended two-storey building in Abuja.
The Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, Umar Shuaibu, revealed this at a news briefing on Saturday.
Shuaibu said the Minister directed the security agencies to arrest the FHA officer saddled with the responsibility of supervising the project.
The Coordinator also said that the Minister asked the security personnel to arrest the FHA Officer-in-Charge of granting the development permit and the Engineer supervising the development for alleged manslaughter.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the building, under construction, collapsed at about 11am on Thursday at 6th Avenue in Gwarimpa Estate, trapped 24 persons, three were confirmed dead, while 21 persons had been rescued alive.
The Minister, during a visit to the scene of the incident, commiserated with the families of the victims and residents of the FCT over the unfortunate incident.
Represented by the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, Shehu Ahmad, Bello said: “This is coming at a time when we are all trying as a nation to come out of this worrisome situation of building collapse.
“These are issues which the FCT environment was not prominent with, but because of some activities of quackery, this has come into the FCT and the FCT is not too happy with these happenings.”
The Minister recalled that it was the third time such an incident happened at the Gwarinpa Estate.
Bello stated that the FCTA would stop at no limit to identify those involved in the unfortunate development.
He said: “Preliminary report indicates that the land area where this property was standing doesn’t look well and stabilised.
“There is the presumption of inferior materials in the construction and workmanship.
“To this, the FCTA will take very seriously and engage the agencies involved to find a lasting solution to this type of embarrassment.”
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