Following the collapse of an adjacent building that was still under construction, which had a significant influence on the church building, the Lagos State Building Control Agency, or LASBCA, has ordered the demolition of a Redeemed Christian Church of God, or RCCG, parish in the Somolu neighborhood.
According to the DAILY POST, while churchgoers were inside for a service on Monday, the edifice collapsed.
Despite the church’s substantial structural damage from the collapse, no fatalities were reported.
Officials from the LASBCA declared the church building dangerous on Tuesday and issued a final removal notice.
“This building has been declared distressed and must be removed within seven days,” stated a notice posted on the property.
Residents claimed that the now-collapsed building’s development had proceeded at an abnormally fast rate.
Pastor Daniel Ojo of the impacted RCCG parish stated, “The new structure was already rising within a few days after the old one was demolished.” “We no longer have a place of worship.”
Ojo outlined the difficulties that lie ahead, emphasizing the hardship of moving to a neighborhood that is largely industrialized and where the congregation is close-knit.
“Moving far away could scatter our members. We’re more than a church, we’re a family,” he said.
Eyewitnesses said construction workers narrowly escaped the collapse.
“They were on the top floor when it gave way. They jumped down and fled. It’s a miracle no one died,” a local trader recalled.
LASBCA representative Adekomi Adeniyi confirmed that officials had assessed the site and concluded that demolition of the church was necessary to avoid further danger.
The growing number of uncontrolled, expedited development projects in Lagos continues to worry urban planners, who warn of the risks to inhabitants of densely populated areas. The Somolu collapse contributes to the city’s mounting list of structural issues.
The Lagos State Government has not yet made an official announcement on possible sanctions for the building’s developers as of the time of this story.
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