Tragedy struck in the Papa Ajao area of Mushin on Sunday afternoon as a mosque collapsed, leaving many feared dead. The incident, which occurred during prayer time, has been attributed to the negligence of an excavator operator.
According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the excavator operator inadvertently struck the one-story building mosque, resulting in its collapse. LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary issued a statement confirming the preliminary findings, stating, “Upon arrival at the scene at 01:40 pm, a storey building was found to have collapsed. Preliminary investigation carried out upon arrival at the scene revealed that an excavator clearing the road recklessly hit a mosque (a storey building) by the roadside which resulted in the mosque collapsing as prayer was about to commence.”
The agency further revealed that four victims were promptly transported to the hospital, while a total of ten individuals remained trapped under the rubble. The tragic incident underscores the critical importance of adhering to safety protocols, particularly in construction and demolition activities, to prevent such catastrophic events.