The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has attributed the recurring building collapse tragedies in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to systemic corruption, weak regulatory enforcement, and political failures. This follows the death of five individuals when a three-storey building under construction collapsed in the Gudu District of Abuja.
The incident occurred at approximately 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, behind Gudu Market. The FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) Search and Rescue team reported that 16 persons have been rescued so far, with 11 transported to the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, Asokoro District Hospital, and Maitama Hospital for medical care. Responders included officials from FEMD, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Federal Fire Service, the FCT Fire Service, and the FCT Police Command. Most of those trapped were labourers working on the building.
HURIWA Expresses Deep Concern
HURIWA expressed profound sorrow over the incident, describing it as yet another reflection of longstanding structural and institutional failures in the administration of the FCT. The group noted that Abuja has experienced repeated collapses of residential and commercial buildings over the years, many of which could have been prevented if regulatory institutions operated professionally, transparently, and without political interference.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA stated that the recurring collapses reflect a dangerous combination of regulatory negligence, compromised engineering standards, weak enforcement, institutional corruption, political patronage, and the use of substandard construction materials by profit-driven developers.
“The painful truth is that many buildings collapsing in Abuja are products of systemic failure long before they physically cave in. Professional engineers, architects, urban planners, builders, and quantity surveyors have repeatedly identified common technical factors responsible for these disasters,” the statement read.
These factors include substandard reinforcement materials, weak concrete mixtures, structural overloading, illegal modifications, poor soil analysis, compromised foundations, non-compliance with approved engineering specifications, and the absence of rigorous integrity testing during construction stages.
“Yet despite repeated warnings from professionals and regulatory bodies, successive FCT administrations have failed to establish a sustainable, transparent, and technologically driven compliance mechanism capable of preventing structural disasters,” the group added.
History of Collapses
HURIWA recalled that since 2015, Abuja has recorded multiple building collapses in areas such as Jabi, Gwarinpa, Kubwa, Lokogoma, Sabon Lugbe, Lifecamp, Guzape, and other rapidly developing districts where real estate expansion has outpaced regulatory oversight. The group noted that investigations are often announced after such incidents, committees are constituted, and promises made, but without meaningful accountability or enforcement. The absence of consequences for regulatory failures has allowed the cycle to persist.
The organisation further alleged that Abuja is increasingly governed as a political estate-sharing arrangement rather than a carefully regulated capital city guided by strict urban planning standards. Successive FCT administrations have prioritised land allocations to political allies and influential interests over sustainable urban development and safety compliance. This has resulted in chaotic construction patterns, overstretched infrastructure, compromised environmental standards, and unsafe structural practices across the FCT.
“Abuja was designed to be a modern, properly regulated capital city governed by strict masterplan principles. Sadly, what Nigerians increasingly witness today is the commercialisation of land administration without a corresponding commitment to structural safety and urban integrity,” HURIWA stated.
Demands for Action
HURIWA demanded the establishment of an independent judicial panel of inquiry into recurring building collapses in the FCT since 2015. It also called for the prosecution of developers, contractors, engineers, and regulatory officials found culpable in acts of negligence or approval fraud. The group advocated for structural integrity audits of ongoing high-rise and major construction projects across Abuja, as well as the digitalisation and public transparency of building approval processes.
Other demands include mandatory integrity certification at every critical construction stage, stronger collaboration among the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), and urban development regulators, alongside criminal sanctions for officials approving illegal or compromised structures.
HURIWA also urged the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to move beyond reactive sympathy visits and emergency responses by initiating lasting institutional reforms capable of restoring confidence in Abuja’s urban regulatory framework. The group acknowledged the government’s provision of medical treatment for survivors but stressed that preventing avoidable deaths should remain the primary responsibility of government.
“Nigeria cannot continue normalising building collapses as routine urban occurrences. Every collapsed structure represents institutional failure. Every avoidable death represents regulatory negligence. Every compromised building approval represents corruption with deadly consequences. The lives lost in Gudu must not become another forgotten statistic buried beneath official statements and temporary outrage,” the statement concluded.
