[size=15pt]The National Emergency Management Agency Debunks TB Joshua 's Terrorist Attack Claim On Church[/size]

***Additional Three-storeys was erected on a plan made for two-storey building



South-West zone of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, told Saturday Independent that the collapsed building was a five- storey, which was initially two, adding that the additional three-storey was being constructed when it collapsed at about 1p.m. on Friday.

“The additional three was being constructed when it collapsed around 1p.m Friday afternoon. The church members have been very aggressive and tried attacking emergency responders. Before emergency responders arrival, about 15 are said to have being rescued alive and three dead. Many are said to trapped still.”

He said before emergency responders arrived the scene at about 2p.m., about 15 persons trapped in the building had been rescued alive, while three lifeless bodies were also recovered, adding that many were still trapped under the rubbles.

But Farinloye lamented that the church members displayed aggressive behaviour and tried to attack emergency responders.

Onlookers who tried to take pictures with their phones incurred the wrath of irate members as they attempted to seize their phones and cameras.

Personnel of emergency agencies and journalists were battered and molested by angry worshippers who stormed the scene of the incident, saying they would manage the situation themselves.

Still and video cameras were also said to have been smashed to discourage anyone from recording picture of the building and the rescue efforts.

It was also gathered that those who narrowly escaped were also treated by health workers in the waiting Lagos State Ambulance Service, LASAMBUS ambulance.

Officers of the Rapid Respond Squad (RRS), personnel of the Lagos State Fire Service, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) also had a hectic time controlling the situations.

They were, however, not allowed to do coordinated rescue efforts as thugs and some hostile worshippers frustrated their efforts and eventually dispersed them from the scene.

Personnel of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) also battled to control the crowd and the traffic gridlock compounded on the axis by the incident.

The Director of Lagos State Fire Service said the building collapsed on some of the labourers working in it, adding that he could not ascertain the number of people trapped in the building.

Asked whether the church management sought approval before constructing the building, General Manager of the Lagos State Building and Control Agency (LASBCA), Mrs. Abimbola Animashaun, said the government could not confirm or trace any document stating approval to commence construction work in the premises.

Animashaun who led her team to the scene of the incident said none of the church members could provide evidence of approval for the building.

“We have been here challenging them on the building approval but they haven’t said anything convincing. They claimed to have approval but we could not confirm it. They were told to bring the building approval authorised by the government none of them could do that,” she said.

Also, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Olutoyin Ayinde, said he could not confirm, at the moment, if the state government gave approval for the construction of the first two-storey.


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