By Ayomide Otitoju
One person has been confirmed dead while 13 others were rescued following the collapse of a two-storey building on Oremeta Street in the Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos State on Saturday morning.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the incident, stating that search and rescue efforts were ongoing. The building, which reportedly housed a local restaurant, caved in around 8:00 a.m., trapping an unknown number of individuals beneath the rubble.
NEMA’s South-West Coordinator, Ibrahim Farinloye, said the cause of the collapse remains undetermined. Meanwhile, officials from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) have cordoned off the site and urged residents to stay clear to allow emergency operations to continue unhindered.
Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Damilola Oke-Osanyitolu, speaking from the scene, confirmed that emergency responders were working “painstakingly” to reach ground zero. “We’ve activated the Lagos State Emergency Response Plan under the directive of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu,” he said.
Residents expressed concern that more victims might still be trapped. Some criticized the rescue operation for lacking the appropriate equipment. “They are using the wrong machine. They need something more suitable to lift the heavy concrete without harming those trapped beneath,” said a resident who requested anonymity.
Another local blamed the tragedy on poor construction practices, alleging that an extra floor was added to the building without proper reinforcement. “The engineer did not follow the correct building procedure. You cannot put that kind of weight on a structure that’s not ready,” the resident added.
Authorities have not released the identities of the victims, and an investigation into the structural failure is expected to follow the rescue phase.
Zelensky responded by stating Ukraine would observe the truce and went further, proposing a 30-day extension. “Russia must fully comply with the conditions of the ceasefire. Ukraine’s proposal to implement and extend the ceasefire for 30 days after midnight tonight remains on the table,” he said.
He also reiterated that the prolonged ceasefire could “give peace a chance,” although he noted Putin had previously rejected a 30-day unconditional truce.
Previous efforts to enforce holiday ceasefires, including during Easter in April 2022 and Orthodox Christmas in January 2023, failed to materialize as both sides accused each other of insincerity.
In his Easter message, Zelensky declared that the message of the holiday was one of hope and resilience. “Evil will retreat, and life will triumph,” he said. “These words resonate in every Ukrainian heart. Our faith has not faded for 1,152 days of full-scale war.”
In Kyiv, reactions to the truce were mixed. “They’ve already broken their promise. Unfortunately, we cannot trust Russia today,” said 38-year-old market trader Olga Grachova. Railway worker Sergiy Klochko expressed hope in Ukraine’s proposal: “Let them go for it… so that this terrible war ends.” But others, like 41-year-old medic Natalia, were more skeptical: “Everything we offer remains only our offers. Nobody responds.”
Meanwhile, in Moscow, 58-year-old Yevgeny Pavlov dismissed the idea of a pause: “There is no need to give them respite. If we press, we should press to the end.”
