Seven people have been confirmed dead in Vidaz Estate, Sabon Lugbe, a suburb in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where an uncompleted storey building collapsed on Saturday.
The Federal Capital Territory FCT Emergency Management Department, (FEMD), yesterday disclosed the information.
The agency, however, dismissed media reports claiming that 40 persons were trapped in the rubble.
The building, reportedly under construction, prompting calls for immediate intervention from government agencies and emergency response teams.
A statement issued on Sunday by FEMD Head Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa said: “FEMD wishes to clarify that the said structure located at Gidash Estate was one of the buildings earmarked for removal by the Department of Development Control.
“In a statement at the incident site, the Ag. Director General of FEMD, Abdulrahman Mohammed said seven persons who were scavenging for iron rods and other building materials lost their lives in the process.
“What happened is that the structure was marked for removal by development control. So these boys taking advantage of the fact that there would be no demolition exercise at the weekend, moved in to strip the iron rods in the pillar holding up the building leading to the unfortunate incident”.
Abdulrahman said Chairman Miyetti Allah, FCT chapter, Mohammed Hussein confirmed that the remains of five members of the association were removed from the rubble.