Disaster struck the nation’s capital on Monday night, September 7, 2026, when a three-storey commercial structure in the Wuse Zone 4 district collapsed into rubble, mere hours after regulatory authorities ordered its immediate closure.
The Department of Development Control under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) had sealed the distressed property earlier in the day following grave structural concerns, strictly issuing an eviction mandate to all occupants.
However, at approximately 7:45 p.m., the building caved in, triggering a multi-agency emergency response. Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike on Public Communications and Social Media, confirmed the incident, stating that men of the FCT Fire Service and emergency teams were deployed alongside three stationed ambulances to facilitate swift casualties evacuation.
The FCT Police Command mobilized a tactical team led by ACP Edward Akaniyene (Assistant Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations) and ACP Georgelyn Ufomadu (Area Commander, Metro) to secure the scene, direct traffic, and clear access paths for rescue operations.
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Federal Fire Service (FFS), and the FCTA Security Service Department were present at the scene of the incident.
Search and rescue operations remain actively underway to verify if any individuals remained inside the building despite the earlier eviction notice. Authorities have cordoned off the immediate perimeter, appealing to the general public to avoid the area while heavy machinery extracts debris.
