The dust had barely settled from previous incidents when yet another tragedy struck on Friday evening, September 12, 2025. A three-storey building under construction at the Alagomeji area of Yaba, Lagos, came crashing down, trapping several people inside.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in a statement on Saturday, confirmed that four people had been rescued and taken to the hospital.
“While eyewitness accounts vary, with some saying six people were trapped and others reporting five, emergency responders have so far rescued four adult males alive and taken them to the hospital for treatment,” the statement read.
Teams from NEMA, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and other first responders quickly mobilised to the site. Search and rescue operations stretched late into the night.
“As of press time, the exact number of persons still trapped remains unconfirmed, but efforts are ongoing to locate and evacuate survivors. Emergency officials have cordoned off the site to ensure safety and smooth rescue operations. The search and rescue operation is continuing into the night with responders assuring that no effort will be spared to save lives,” the agency said.
NEMA, in another tweet, disclosed that one body (male) had been recovered from the rubble while the search and rescue operation is still ongoing.
A series of building collapses
This latest collapse is only the most recent in a disturbing series of building failures that have scarred Lagos this year.
In May 2025, three people were rescued after a one-storey building under construction collapsed at Ishaga Road, opposite the Idi Araba Central Mosque in Mushin.
In April, tragedy struck in the Ojodu-Berger area of the state, when a three-storey building caved in. Thirteen people were rescued, but seven lives were lost.
And in January, the year began with grief in Ikota, Lekki, when a two-storey building under construction collapsed, killing two adult males.
For many Lagos residents, these repeated incidents are not just coincidences but symptoms of a deeper crisis, poor construction practices, weak regulation, and the sheer speed of urban expansion.
The collapsing structures tell a story of systemic neglect. From Lekki to Mushin, Ojodu to Yaba, families have been left mourning, survivors are nursing wounds, and communities are grappling with shock.
Friday’s incident in Yaba adds to the grim record, underlining calls for urgent action by regulators, builders, and government authorities.
