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Four members of the same family have been confirmed dead after a three-storey building collapsed at Popo Giwa, Ilorin, Kwara State, on Tuesday morning.

The PUNCH gathered that the incident occurred around 5am at No. 41 Popo Giwa Street, beside Gogoro Mosque, with eight members of the family initially trapped beneath the rubble.

Speaking with our correspondent during the rescue operation, an eyewitness, Abdulganiy Musa, said the father of the family was a serving soldier, while the mother worked as a casual staff member at the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, Ilorin.

Musa said rescue workers were engaged in efforts to evacuate the victims trapped under the collapsed structure.

A child identified as Firdaus, the second-to-last born of the family, was among those rescued alive from the rubble as emergency responders intensified the operation.

An excavator was later deployed to the scene to assist rescuers in removing the debris and gaining access to the remaining trapped victims.

Findings by The PUNCH showed that several emergency and security agencies were involved in the rescue operation, with ambulances deployed to evacuate survivors for medical attention.

Representing Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the scene, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Lawal Olohungbebe, described the incident as unfortunate and condoled with the victims’ families.

“The rescue mission began immediately after the collapse and to the Grace of God, some were rescued but unfortunately, we have to take it as this,” he said.

Olohungbebe stressed the importance of accessible roads in residential areas, saying the access route to the building contributed to the ease with which emergency responders were able to reach the scene.

“One of the things that made it very easy for us to rescue the few people we were able to rescue is the access route,” he said.

He urged residents and developers to respect building and town-planning regulations, particularly the need to maintain access roads to residential areas.

The commissioner commended the Ministries of Health and Environment, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, SEMA, the National Emergency Management Agency, Fire Service, Civil Defence, the Red Cross and other responders for their swift intervention.

The Kwara State Fire Service subsequently confirmed that four people died while four others were rescued alive.

The Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, disclosed this while speaking with The PUNCH at the scene of the incident.

“We have recovered four people dead and rescued four people alive,” he said.

Adekunle said the agency received a distress call at about 5am reporting that a building had collapsed and people were trapped underneath.

“We immediately mobilised to the scene and commenced rescue operation. This kind of situation is not something the fire service can handle alone,” he said.

He added that officials of the Hospitals Management Board, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other emergency agencies joined the rescue operation.

The fire service spokesman said the cause of the collapse would be determined after a proper assessment of the structure.

“We are only here to ascertain the actual cause of this collapse and rescue the trapped victims. As at when due, we will communicate to the media about our findings,” he said.

Adekunle said if the assessment warranted demolition, the relevant authorities would take appropriate action, while occupants would be advised accordingly if the structures were found to be safe.

He commiserated with the families of the victims and urged residents to report unusual signs in their buildings or evacuate immediately when they noticed anything that could indicate danger.

The Kwara State Emergency Management Agency also confirmed the death of four people and the rescue of four others.

The SEMA Secretary, Magaji Saadudeen, said eight people were trapped in the building, adding that the rescued victims and bodies of the deceased had been taken to hospital.

“The rescued persons are receiving treatment presently,” Saadudeen said.

Speaking on the structure, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, said it was a three-storey building and that the portion that collapsed was the boys’ quarters.

“It was a three-storey building that collapsed. Our findings showed that the boys’ quarter of the building that collapsed. Information gathered revealed that eight people were trapped in the building,” he said.

Adekimi said the rescued victims had been taken to hospital while the bodies of those who died were also evacuated.

“For now, the situation is under control. We will examine the remaining building and see how people can be secured. But for now, we have evacuated everybody from the main building,” he said.

The police commissioner said residents should pay attention to warning signs such as leakages and other structural defects in buildings.

The Chairman of Ilorin West Local Government Area, AbdulRahman Babatunde Ladan, who monitored the rescue operation, also commended the emergency agencies and residents for their prompt response.

Ladan said about six to seven ambulances were deployed to the scene to support the evacuation of victims for medical attention.

He urged residents to report structural defects promptly and evacuate buildings whenever they noticed signs of possible collapse.

“Whenever you discover something like this, please escalate it. Get to the point of evacuating yourself and your family members from that building. Life is the priority,” he said.

The council chairman also advised prospective developers to use quality materials and engage qualified professionals to supervise construction, stressing that adherence to building standards was essential to preventing structural failures. (PUNCH)

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has challenged former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, to make himself available for questioning following allegations he made against the anti-graft agency.

EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, made the call while responding to allegations contained in Sylva’s resignation letter from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Sylva, a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and founding member of the APC, announced his resignation from the ruling party on Monday.

In the resignation letter, he accused the EFCC of conducting itself more like an organ of the APC than an independent institution of the state.

According to him, he had forwarded a copy of the resignation letter to the EFCC, in which he raised concerns about the commission’s alleged conduct.

Sylva also criticised the APC leadership, accusing the party of abandoning the ideals upon which it was founded.

He further expressed disappointment with the administration of President Bola Tinubu, saying he could no longer remain in a political party whose leaders, according to him, operate on the belief that “all is fair in politics.”

“As a founding member of the APC, and one who joined other well-meaning Nigerians in building the Party with sweat and money, it is deeply saddening to witness how the ideals we espoused have been so thoroughly and unrecognisably thwarted,” Sylva said.

He added that he could not “in all good conscience” continue to belong to a party whose leaders, in his view, had repeatedly demonstrated that political expediency took precedence over basic decency and morality.

However, the EFCC dismissed the former governor’s position and urged him to appear before the commission.

Oyewale said: “He has been declared wanted; he should make himself available to the commission.”

The statement comes amid an existing investigation involving Sylva.

Daily Trust had reported that the EFCC declared the former governor wanted in November 2025 in connection with an alleged case involving conspiracy and dishonest conversion of about $14.86 million.

Investigators reportedly identified Sylva as an alleged principal financier of the scheme and accused him of contributing approximately N785 million through Purple Waves Limited, an Abuja-based company.

The allegations against Sylva remain subject to investigation and due legal process, and his declaration as wanted does not amount to a conviction.

Sylva has yet to publicly respond to the latest EFCC call beyond the allegations contained in his resignation letter.

The latest development comes as Sylva’s resignation from the APC adds another political dimension to an already contentious relationship between the former governor and the anti-graft agency.

The EFCC has continued to maintain that persons under investigation should make themselves available to assist investigators in establishing the facts of cases before the commission.

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Campaign designed to Reach 360 Federal Constituencies and 109 Senatorial Districts Ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

HallowMace Africa has announced the commencement of a nationwide Voter Education Campaign on the Legislature, a strategic civic and democratic education initiative designed to deepen Nigerians’ understanding of the role, powers, responsibilities and importance of the legislature in Nigeria’s democracy.

This was disclosed in a statement co-signed by Amb. Anderson Osiebe
Executive Director
HallowMace Africa

Amb. Oguh Hyginus John
Head, Public Communication Desk on Tuesday.

The campaign is premised on a simple but fundamental reality: the quality of a democracy is significantly influenced by the quality of the people elected to make laws, exercise oversight and represent the interests of citizens.

For many years, political conversations and electoral campaigns in Nigeria have been overwhelmingly dominated by presidential and gubernatorial contests, while elections into the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly often receive considerably less public attention.

HallowMace Africa believes that this imbalance has serious consequences for democratic governance.

“While Nigerians understandably pay close attention to who occupies the Presidency and the various State Houses, insufficient attention is often given to the individuals elected to represent them in the Senate, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly”.

“Consequently, individuals who may lack the requisite competence, capacity, integrity, legislative understanding or commitment to effective representation sometimes find their way into legislative institutions”.

“The legislature is not merely a collection of elected politicians. It is a constitutionally established institution with critical responsibilities that directly affect the daily lives, rights and welfare of Nigerians.

Legislators make and amend laws, represent their constituents, scrutinise government policies and expenditure, exercise oversight over Ministries, Departments and Agencies, approve public expenditure and loans where constitutionally required, and provide an important mechanism through which citizens’ concerns can be brought into national and state decision-making”.

The decisions taken by legislators can influence virtually every sector of society, from education and healthcare to security, infrastructure, taxation, employment, agriculture, social protection and economic development.

Therefore, the question Nigerians should be asking is not only “Who will be President?” or “Who will be Governor?” but also “Who will make the laws under which we live?”

The HallowMace Africa Voter Education Campaign seeks to encourage Nigerians to move beyond personality-driven politics, party loyalty, financial inducements and emotional considerations when choosing legislative representatives.

The campaign will promote a culture of issue-based electoral decision-making, encouraging voters to examine the track records, competence, character, legislative knowledge, experience, capacity and policy positions of candidates seeking to represent them.

Citizens will also be encouraged to understand the distinction between the responsibilities of the executive and legislative arms of government and to appreciate what they should reasonably expect from their elected representatives.

HallowMace Africa emphasises that effective representation is not simply about the ability of a politician to distribute personal gifts or attract occasional projects. Legislative representation encompasses law-making, policy influence, oversight, accountability, constituency representation and effective advocacy for the people.

A major component of the campaign is its grassroots approach.

HallowMace Africa plans to take the Voter Education Campaign across Nigeria, with an ambitious target of reaching all 360 Federal Constituencies and 109 Senatorial Districts.

The organisation intends to engage citizens through town-hall meetings, radio and television programmes, community sensitisation, public lectures, stakeholder engagements, social media campaigns, educational materials and other appropriate platforms.

The campaign will seek to engage young people, first-time voters, women, civil society organisations, community leaders, traditional institutions, religious organisations, students, professional groups, market associations, persons with disabilities and other critical segments of the electorate.

The objective is to ensure that legislative democracy is not discussed only within the National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly, political party offices or elite political circles, but becomes a subject of meaningful conversation within communities across Nigeria.

As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, HallowMace Africa believes that voter education must go beyond explaining how and where to vote.

Citizens must also understand what they are voting for and who they are voting to represent them.

The campaign will therefore encourage voters to ask critical questions before supporting legislative candidates:

What does this candidate understand about the responsibilities of a legislator?

What is the candidate’s record of public service?

Can the candidate effectively participate in law-making?

Does the candidate understand the needs and challenges of the constituency?

What issues does the candidate intend to champion?

Does the candidate have the capacity to exercise effective oversight?

What is the candidate’s position on accountability and transparency?

Does the candidate have the character and integrity required for public office?

How does the candidate intend to remain accessible and accountable to constituents?

HallowMace Africa believes that an informed voter is one of the strongest safeguards of democracy.

It therefore seeks to build a culture in which Nigerians do not disappear from the political process after voting.

The vote should be the beginning of citizens’ engagement with their representatives, not the end.

The campaign will also encourage constituents to monitor the performance of their legislators, understand legislative processes, demand accountability and constructively engage their representatives throughout their tenure.

As an organisation committed to Parliamentary Advocacy and Journalism, HallowMace Africa considers legislative awareness and voter education essential to the future of Nigerian democracy.

The message is simple:

“KNOW YOUR LEGISLATURE. KNOW YOUR REPRESENTATIVE. KNOW YOUR VOTE.”

HallowMace Africa is calling on citizens across the country to pay closer attention, ask the right questions, demand accountability and recognise that every legislative vote is a vote that shapes the laws, policies and direction of the nation.