Residents of the Odo-Kekere community in Ikorodu, Lagos State, were on Thursday evening thrown into panic following the partial collapse of a public school building in the area.
The incident, which occurred after school hours, has been described by residents as a case of divine intervention, as no casualties were recorded.
Eyewitnesses said a section of the aging school structure suddenly gave way with a loud bang, sending dust into the air and drawing residents and passersby to the scene.
Emergency responders from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) promptly arrived at the location and cordoned off the affected area to prevent further danger.
As of press time, the cause of the collapse and the extent of structural damage were still under investigation. Preliminary findings confirmed that students were not in their classrooms at the time of the incident.
Rescue teams were also said to be conducting search and safety operations to ensure that no security personnel or staff members were trapped beneath the rubble.
An eyewitness and nearby resident, Mrs. Boluwaji Aderinto, whose building is adjacent to the school, expressed concern over the safety of public school infrastructure in the area.
“We heard a loud crack and then everywhere was dusty. We thank God it didn’t happen during school hours when children would have been inside the classrooms. This should be a wake-up call for the government,” she said.
According to her, parents and community leaders had previously appealed to authorities to renovate deteriorating school buildings within the axis, warning of potential danger.
Meanwhile, a high-powered delegation from the Lagos State Ministry of Education visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment.
A senior ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the visit, stating that officials, including the Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary of Education District II, were already on ground to evaluate the situation and determine the next steps.
The incident has once again raised serious concerns about the structural integrity of public and private school buildings in Lagos, with renewed calls for an urgent statewide audit and rehabilitation of aging educational infrastructure to safeguard lives.
