By Gabriel Olawale

The Edo Volunteers for Tinubu 2023, a support group led by Madam Owolabi Adetutu, has commiserated with the people and government of Lagos State over the “heartbreaking tragedy” of the 21-story building that collapsed in the Ikoyi area of the state on Monday, trapping and killing several workers and other persons.

The group in a statement signed by Madam Owolabi Adetutu described the incident as “a sad and painful occurrence that claimed the lives of innocent Lagosians, many of whom are family breadwinners, whose primary motivation was to earn a keep through their talent and hard work.”

The group also said, “no family deserves to go through the emotionally distressful feeling of trauma and helplessness the tragedy has brought upon the directly affected families whose loved ones remain trapped in the rubble or have been confirmed dead.”

It praised the efforts of the “multi-agency team of emergency responders whose tireless work at the scene of the incident has helped to recover victims from the rubble and curb the devastation and impact of the unfortunate collapse” and urged Lagosians and others to offer support by complying with “understandably evolving safety measures and regulations in and around the site of the tragic incident.”

On the probe declared by the state government to uncover the circumstances surrounding the building collapse, particularly as more evidence surface on alleged regulatory breach and violations, Madam Owolabi Adetutu, speaking on behalf of the Edo Volunteers for Tinubu 2023, said “the Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu led has commendably responded with the responsibility, seriousness, and empathy that the incident deserves. We are particularly pleased with the state government’s clear commitment to unraveling the direct and remote causes of the tragedy with the view to issuing appropriate sanctions to all defaulting parties.”

She said, “the victims and their families deserve nothing less than justice and due compensation for the needless trauma and sorrow they have suffered, although nothing could make up for the sad loss of lives.”

Harping on the call of the former Lagos Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who has also called for an investigation and justice, the group said “Asiwaju Tinubu’s call and intervention is a needed weight to ensure that required lessons are learned from the tragedy and never again is the city of commerce where all Nigerians are offered a chance to thrive and achieve their aspirations thrown into such avoidable mourning and distress.”