by Adedayo Ademuwagun

At least 80 people have been confirmed dead in the Synagogue church’s building collapse that occurred last Friday. This death toll is according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

Meanwhile, NEMA said that 131 people have been rescued so far and that most of those taken to hospital have been discharged.

Ynaija was at the Alimosho General Hospital on Monday, where some of the victims were taken. The acting medical chief Dr Olufunke Odukoya told Ynaija that all the patients brought in from the collapse site had been discharged.

So far, there have been diverse reports about the actual number of victims who were injured or killed. South Africa has claimed that up to 300 South Africans were in the church and that 67 of them died in the accident.

The notable South Africans who have been to the Synagogue church include Rugby World Cup-winning players Joost van der Westhuizen and Ruben Kruger.

The cause of the collapse has not be ascertained yet, but the head of the Synagogue church TB Joshua said on Saturday that it was an aircraft hovering in the sky that somehow caused the building to crumble. The Lagos government has said it is investigating this allegation.

Some reports say the building was initially a two-storey, and that more storeys were under construction prior to the wreckage. However, the ministry of physical planning and urban development said the collapsed building didn’t have proper construction approval. Meanwhile, the state government said it is investigating the matter to determine the cause of this accident.

The church was uncooperative with officials from state agencies. With the approval of the police, church members blocked the collapse site and prevented journalists and officials from state agencies from entering. There were also attacks, but the church has apologised for their conduct.

Emmanuel Chidiogo