The Edo State Government has blamed the collapse of a two-storey building under construction in Benin City on the use of substandard building materials and the failure to obtain the required government approvals.
The structure, located on Gospel Avenue, off Adesuwa Road in Oredo Local Government Area, reportedly collapsed in the early hours of the day while construction was ongoing.
Speaking during an inspection of the site, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Vincent Uwadiae, condemned the development and directed that the property be sealed pending further investigation.
He expressed relief that no casualties were recorded, noting that the incident could have resulted in significant loss of life if workers had been present when the building gave way.
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According to the commissioner, preliminary findings revealed that the project had not received approval from the ministry before construction commenced.
Uwadiae reiterated the state’s warning against erecting buildings without securing the necessary permits, stressing that approval processes are designed to ensure compliance with safety standards and enable government agencies to monitor developments.
He also urged residents to report suspicious or unapproved construction projects within their communities, saying public cooperation remains crucial to preventing avoidable disasters.
The commissioner disclosed that the property owner had yet to be identified and was not present at the site. He added that legal action would be taken once the owner is located and investigations are concluded.
He further stated that structural assessments indicated that the reinforcement materials used in the project were inadequate and incapable of supporting a building of that size.
According to him, the government may invoke relevant provisions of the law to take over the property if the owner fails to present himself within the stipulated period for investigation.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Edo State Development and Building Control Agency, Mr Darlington Igabali, described the collapse as avoidable and attributed it to poor construction practices.
Igabali said preliminary investigations pointed to the use of inferior materials and the absence of official approval for the project, adding that the administration of Monday Okpebholo remains committed to enforcing building regulations and maintaining safety standards across the state.
A resident of the area, Mr Jonathan Bitrus, said the building collapsed at about 2:00 a.m., adding that concerns had previously been raised about the strength of the foundation.
He expressed the view that the foundation may not have been adequately designed to support a two-storey structure, a factor that could have contributed to the collapse.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
