26 Rescued, 8 Killed in Lagos

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) reports that 26 people were rescued and eight, including a baby girl, died after a three‑storey shopping complex collapsed in Lagos's Alakija area.

LASEMA released this information in a Thursday update, confirming the figures as of 4:20 p.m.

The agency also said that search and rescue operations were still underway, with emergency responders working to locate and free any additional victims trapped under the rubble.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the building collapsed earlier on Thursday in Alakija, Ori‑Ade Local Council Development Area, triggering a multi‑agency emergency response.

In a prior update, LASEMA's Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke‑Osanyintolu, said that two victims were initially rescued alive thanks to the joint efforts of LASEMA, the Lagos State Building Control Agency, and the China Railway Construction Corporation.

Oke‑Osanyintolu also confirmed that an adult male was recovered from the debris and added that reports suggested additional people, including shop owners who had resumed business in the complex, could still be trapped.

LASEMA said that rescue teams continued a systematic excavation of the debris, using heavy‑duty equipment such as an excavator.

The agency urged residents and onlookers to keep their distance from the site so that emergency personnel could conduct rescue operations without obstruction.

It assured the public that verified updates would be released as the operation progressed.

The cause of the collapse has not yet been officially determined. (NAN)