Death toll in collapsed Lagos building hits 44

Twenty-six more bodies were recovered on Wednesday from the scene of the five-storey building under construction which collapsed on Tuesday at Lekki Garden Estate Horizon, Ikate Elegushi, Lagos, bringing the total death toll to 44.
The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr Michael Akindele, in an interview with newsmen said 13 people were rescued as at the time of this report and that rescue operation was still ongoing.
He said LASEMA, in conjunction with Nigerian Police Force (NPF) on Wednesday afternoon, released one of the bodies to the family for Islamic burial after proper documentation.
He identified the individual as Abba Alli who hails from Borno State, adding that rescue opera¬tion was about 61 percent completed.
He said emergency responders on ground were LASEMA, Lagos State Fire Service, Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) Rapid Response Squad (RRS), officials of the Nigerian Civil Defence, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Nigeria Police.
In the meantime, Lagos State Government has asked the directors of the construction company handling the collapsed building to report themselves to the Commissioner of Police in their own interest.