Four members of the same family have died after part of a three-storey building collapsed in Popo Giwa, Ilorin, Kwara State, on Tuesday morning.
The incident occurred at about 5am at No. 41 Popo Giwa Street, beside Gogoro Mosque. Eight family members were initially trapped beneath the rubble.
According to an eyewitness, Abdulganiy Musa, the father of the family is a serving soldier, while the mother works as a casual staff member at the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies in Ilorin.
Rescue workers raced to the scene, with an excavator later deployed to clear debris and reach those trapped. A child identified as Firdaus, the second-to-last born in the family, was among those rescued alive.
The Kwara State Fire Service confirmed that four people died in the incident, while others sustained injuries. Rescued victims were taken to hospital for medical attention.
The Fire Service’s Public Relations Officer, Hassan Adekunle, said the agency received a distress call around 5am and immediately mobilised to the scene.
He said the rescue operation involved several agencies, including the Hospitals Management Board, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other emergency responders.
The Kwara State Emergency Management Agency also confirmed that eight people had been trapped and said the rescued victims and bodies of those who died were taken to hospital.
However, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, clarified that it was the building’s boys’ quarters that collapsed, rather than the entire three-storey structure.
Police subsequently evacuated everyone from the main building pending an assessment of its structural condition.
Authorities said the cause of the collapse had not yet been established. Hassan Adekunle said officials would determine whether the remaining structure was safe or required demolition.
Representing Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the scene, Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development Lawal Olohungbebe described the incident as unfortunate and commiserated with the victims’ families.
He also stressed the importance of accessible roads in residential areas, noting that the access route helped emergency responders reach the building quickly.
Ilorin West Local Government Chairman AbdulRahman Ladan said six to seven ambulances were deployed to evacuate victims. He urged residents to report structural warning signs and leave buildings they believe may be unsafe.
Authorities also urged developers to comply with building regulations, use quality materials and engage qualified professionals to supervise construction.
