In a dramatic overnight rescue effort, operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, working in concert with multiple emergency response teams, successfully pulled a man from the wreckage of a collapsed three-storey building in Abuja’s Life Camp district. The victim had been trapped beneath the debris for nearly ten hours.
According to official police accounts, the structure crumbled at approximately 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, August 2. A distress call immediately triggered an urgent response from the Life Camp Divisional Police Officer (DPO), who led the initial deployment to the site, swiftly cordoning off the area and launching rescue operations.
The coordinated effort drew personnel from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Development Control Department, and construction firms Zeberced and Julius Berger, supported by a full complement of multi-agency enforcement units.
By 4:00 a.m. Sunday, rescue teams had located and extracted 27-year-old Aliyu Salisu, a Nigerien national, who had remained the sole individual trapped in the ruins. He was immediately transported to Cedar Crest Hospital in Gudu, where he is said to be in stable condition and responding well to treatment.
Commissioner of Police for the FCT, CP Ajao Adewale, was present at the scene throughout the night, overseeing operations firsthand. He praised the professionalism and urgency demonstrated by all involved agencies and commended the community’s cooperation during the rescue.
The cause of the building collapse is yet to be officially determined, with investigations currently underway.
