Two more bodies have been recovered from the rubbles of the 21-storey collapsed building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.
The bodies were reportedly brought out in body bags around 11am and put inside a van of the Ministry of Health.
Also, one Pastor Ola Ogunfuwa of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and 22 others said to be working with him are also among those stuck in the rubble.
According to Ogunfuwa’s friend, Emmanuel Omotosho, who is also a pastor in the church, Ogunfuwa was working as a contractor on the building before it collapsed.
He said Ogunfuwa is in charge of the Living Water Parish in Ibafo, Ogun State and that he came with 22 other artisans, comprising bricklayers and welders, from Ibafo to work in the building.
“Till now, out of those that have been rescued, we’ve not seen any of those 22 and he himself is still there because we learnt that yesterday (Monday), at break time, he came out to eat but as he was about washing his hands to eat, he was summoned by one of his bosses and he went back inside but about five to 10 minutes later, the building collapsed and he was trapped,” Omotosho said.
According to reports, over 20 people have been feared dead so far, as many others are still trapped in the rubble, including the Managing Director, Fourscore Heights Limited, Mr Femi Osibona, who owned the building.
The South-West Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye, on Tuesday, said a total of 20 bodies, including that of Osibona’s personal assistant, had been recovered.