Two children rescued as building collapses in Kwara

Two children were rescued after a two‑storey residential block collapsed in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Thursday morning. The incident occurred at approximately 9:10 a.m. on Ajegunle Street, off Sabo‑Line in the Isale neighbourhood, involving a six‑flat building.

Kwara State Fire Service spokesperson Hassan Adekunle confirmed that the children, identified as Ahmad, 8, and Hussainat, 10, were freed from the rubble and taken to the nearest hospital before fire crews reached the site. "It was reported that two children, Ahmad (8 years) and Hussainat (10 years) were trapped but were rescued and taken to the nearest hospital before the arrival of the Fire Service," Hassan said. He added that firefighters "immediately commenced salvage operations, recovering essential belongings including clothes, electronics, food items, and important documents from accessible areas of the building."

Following an on‑site assessment, the fire service advised the Disaster Management Department of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to seal the collapsed structure and give occupants of a neighbouring building a seven‑day deadline to vacate. "Following an on‑site assessment, the Kwara State Fire Service recommended to the Disaster Management Department of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to seal off the collapsed structure and issue a seven‑day ultimatum to occupants of an adjacent building found to be structurally unsafe and unfit for habitation," the PRO noted. The NSCDC acted promptly, securing the site and enforcing the evacuation notice.

The fire service also revealed that the caretaker had previously been warned about the building's deteriorating condition. "It was further gathered that the caretaker of the collapsed building had previously been notified about the deteriorating condition of the structure prior to the incident," Hassan said. Director of the Fire Service Alabi Muhammed supervised the response and urged owners to conduct regular structural checks, respond to cracks, and address defects without delay to avoid similar tragedies.