By Sarah NEGEDU
The 27-year-old Nigerien national, Aliyu Salisu, who was pulled out from the rubble of a collapsed building in the Lifecamp area of Abuja, has had one of his legs amputated.
The victim, who worked as a security guard at the site, was pulled out alive on Sunday morning after nearly ten hours trapped beneath the debris.
The building, a three-storey residential structure under construction, came down Saturday evening along Sarah Ezekwe Street near Kado Fish Market.
Recall that the Abuja Inquirer had earlier reported his rescue by a multi-agency team comprising the FCT Police Command, NEMA, Civil Defence, and the FCTA Emergency Management Department, FEMD. Construction companies like Julius Berger and Zeberced were said to have also supported the rescue efforts.
However, the FEMD on Monday, reported that the victims leg was amputated due to the severity of injuries sustained in the collapse.
FEMD, in a statement signed by its Head, Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, said the victim is in a stable condition at the Cedarcrest Hospital, Apo, where he has been receiving treatment.
The Acting Director General of FEMD, Engr. Abdulrahman Mohammed, in the statement also raised concern over the quality of materials used in ongoing construction across the territory.
“This is the rainy season. Builders must check the foundation of their structures and quickly correct any anomalies,” he warned.
“The use of substandard and fake building materials is a major contributor to the incidents of building collapse in the country. It is important that only professionals are engaged in the building sector.”
He also commended FEMD’s partners, particularly construction firms, for their prompt response to the emergency.
Only two people were rrported to have been in the building at the time of the collapse. One escaped, while Salisu was trapped in the rubble until he was rescued around 4:00 a.m. on Sunday.
