By Monsuru Olowoopejo

LAGOS—Following the collapsed building on 36, Adesanya Street in Mafoluku, Oshodi axis, Sunday, Lagos State Government has arrested the foreman, Dada Olaniyi, who was handling the project.

The state government added that Olaniyi was arrested at the site by policemen from Makinde Police Station, Oshodi, after being identified by residents as being the person supervising the renovation works on the building before it caved in.

General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, Lekan Shodeinde, who made the disclosure yesterday, regretted the unfortunate incidence, assuring residents that the agency would intensify efforts towards sanitising the building construction industry in the state.

According to him, “LASBCA will remove all distressed and illegal structures that are prone to collapse and buildings that are not in conformity with the state building laws.”

Shodeinde said the developer of the building commenced renovation on the collapsed building last Friday to avoid the agency and get it renovated during the weekend.

“But unfortunately, in the process of breaking of some of the slabs, the building caved in and collapsed on the labourers,” he said.

Shodeinde further stated that though no death recorded, the two injured victims were taken to the hospital and were receiving treatment.

He reiterated the state government’s commitments to put all necessary machinery in place to sanction any erring developer or owner that willingly brakes government seal on defective buildings.

He added that sanctions would also be extended to owners that fail to hire the services of qualified professional, while erecting their building as “professionals have the required knowledge to prevent building collapse in the state.”