- Lagos Govt says death toll rises to 38
- Bodies ready for identification by family members
BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – With officials now putting the death toll from the collapsed 21-storey building in Ikoyi at 38 persons, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has described reports linking him to the house as “vicious, wicked and heartless.”
The Vice President was reacting to social media reports conferring on him ownership of the Lagos building that went down on Monday, October 1, 2021.
Speaking through his media aide, Laolu Akande, the Vice president described the building collapse as a horrible tragedy and expressed sympathies with the bereaved families and the injured.
Dismissing as obviously sponsored falsehood a social media report that he owned the ill-fated structure, a statement by Akande said; “Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) is saddened by the events that occurred in Lagos on Monday, 1st of November 2021, where a high-rise building under construction on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, collapsed.
“He condoles with the families and relatives of all those who have died, were injured, or affected in the collapse. Professor Osinbajo considers this painful loss of lives a horrible tragedy.
“Also, the attention of the Vice President has been drawn to an obviously sponsored falsehood regarding the recently collapsed building published by Sahara Reporters on November 4th, 2021, to the effect that: (i) The VP owns the land upon which the collapsed building in Ikoyi stood; (ii) That the said land was sold to him by Chief Michael Ade. Ojo, Chairman of Elizade Motors; and (iii) That the Vice President, at some point, intervened with the regulatory authorities in Lagos State to unseal the said property.
“Let it be made absolutely clear that Professor Yemi Osinbajo does not own and has never owned the said land. He has also never been involved, in any shape or form, in the development of this or any other land since he became Vice President.
“At no time whatsoever did the VP buy this or any other piece of land from Chief Michael Ade. Ojo, or entered into any transaction for the sale of that land or any other piece of land from Chief Ade. Ojo or anyone for that matter. All property and assets owned by the Vice President have been publicly declared.
“Also, the Vice President has never spoken to the Governor of Lagos State or any other official of the State Government regarding the unsealing of the said building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, which subsequently collapsed. He has, indeed, never acted to influence any other regulatory action on the collapsed building, or any other building for that matter, in Lagos State.
“The Vice President restates categorically that he has no interest whatsoever, and has never had any interest, either legally or beneficially, in the land, the building or development.
“The wickedness and viciousness of a lie that seeks to utilise a tragedy where so many people have lost their lives, even as rescue efforts are ongoing, and in wanton disregard to the feelings and untold grief of their loved ones for political gain, reveals dangerous desperation, as well as the heartlessness of the perpetrators of such despicable lies.
“Sahara Reporters were undoubtedly well rewarded for their criminal and inhumane conduct. Typical of a hatchet job and deliberately irresponsible journalism, the publication was not signed by anyone. The Vice President has referred this disgraceful publication to his lawyers for prompt legal action.”
Similarly, prominent businessman, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, named in the social media report as having sold the land on which the collapsed structure was built, had on Thursday also denied ever owning the land or selling it to Osinbajo.
In a statement released to the media, Ade-Ojo said; “It has come to my attention that a publication by the online news website, Sahara Reporters is in circulation, claiming that I owned the land on which the high-rise building in Ikoyi that collapsed earlier this week was built.
“The story titled ‘Photo Proof: Osinbajo bought the Ikoyi collapsed building’ published on November 4, 2021, also claimed that I sold the land to the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo shortly after he became vice president.
“Both claims are outright falsehoods. I hereby state that I do not own and never held title to the said property. In addition, I did not sell any property to the vice president at any time whatsoever. To be clear, I own a property next to the said building, which I have not sold and do not intend to sell to anyone.”
Meanwhile, as the rescue operation at the site entered the fourth day on Friday, the Lagos State government said dead bodies from the rubbles are now ready for identification by the bereaved families.
Giving an update on the incident, the government urged families of the deceased to visit the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Yaba for that purpose.
Confirming that 38 bodies have been recovered while family members submitted 32 names of those still missing, Information and Strategy Commissioner, Gbenga Omotoso explained that arrangements have been made for the bodies to be ready for identification from 4 pm on Friday, October 5, 2021.
The Information Commissioner, who was accompanied by the Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations Commissioner Tayo Bamgbose-Martins and Physical Planning and Urban Development Commissioner Idris Salako, said autopsies would be carried out on the corpses before releasing them to their families.
