By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN—THE Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 5 Benin, Mr. Abubakar Mohammed, has blamed the spate of collapsed buildings in the country on the alleged conspiracy between contractors and building engineers.

He warned that the police would not be lenient with those involved in this act if apprehended, asserting that the resultant deaths and destructions would have been averted but for their conspiracy.

AIG Abubakar, who spoke when members of the National Association of Contractors paid him a courtesy visit in Benin, said: “We, as law enforcement agents, are committed to enforcing the law. When you talk of building collapse, contractors who are the cause should be held responsible. If they adhere to the laid down rules, buildings will not collapse. But they cut corners to maximize profit which eventually lead to this kind of disaster we witness in the construction industry today.”

President of the group, Mr. Onuche Okoh, had earlier lamented that over 75 building collapses had been recorded in Nigeria in the last three years, noting that most Nigerians were unaware of the fact that the buildings should be re-enforced after 30 years.