OGBA, LAGOS — The Lagos State Government has launched a high-level investigation into the collapse of a four-storey building that housed a private school and residential apartments on Adu Street, in the Aguda area of Ogba. The incident, which occurred around midday on Monday, March 9, 2026, has once again raised serious concerns regarding the structural integrity of educational facilities and the safety of students within the state.
A Timely Escape The school, identified as Yemco Daycare Nursery, Primary and Comprehensive College, was in full session when the alarm was raised. According to eyewitnesses and emergency responders, cracks were first spotted on the walls by a nearby resident—a local fashion designer—who immediately alerted the school authorities. Simultaneously, bricklayers who were conducting minor repairs on the ground floor noticed unusual vibrations and joined in the warning to evacuate.
Teachers and staff acted with remarkable speed, ushering hundreds of students out of the classrooms and onto the street. Reports indicate that the building caved in almost entirely just three minutes after the last student had exited the premises. While no lives were lost, some students reportedly sustained minor injuries during the frantic evacuation and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment and observation.
Government Response and Investigation The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) arrived at the scene shortly after the collapse to secure the area. The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA confirmed that the agency had previously issued safety warnings to the school management. He characterized the event as an "emergency successfully managed" rather than a disaster, largely credited to the school’s immediate compliance with the evacuation advice when the signs of failure became apparent.
Preliminary observations suggest that ongoing renovation work on the ground floor might have compromised the building's stability, which was already under stress from age and potentially substandard materials. LASBCA has since sealed off the remains of the structure and an adjoining twin building owned by the same proprietor to prevent further risk to the public. The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has also stepped in, with officials assuring parents that academic activities for the affected students will continue via temporary relocation or virtual learning platforms to ensure their studies are not interrupted.
Community Concerns Residents in the Ogba axis are calling for a more rigorous audit of private school buildings, many of which are converted residential properties not originally designed for the load and traffic of a busy school. While the quick thinking of the neighbors and staff prevented a national mourning period, the sight of school bags, computers, and personal effects buried under the rubble serves as a haunting reminder of how close the state came to a catastrophe.
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