The Oyo State Government has sealed off a collapsed building under renovation in the Dugbe area of Ibadan. The structure reportedly belongs to a popular restaurant chain, Item7go.
Commissioner for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Mr. Williams Akin-Funmilayo, disclosed this after conducting an on-site assessment. He said the decision to seal the premises was taken to safeguard lives and property, and to allow for a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse.
Preliminary observations suggest that substandard and low-quality materials were used in the construction. Akin-Funmilayo confirmed that an integrity test would be conducted on the affected building as well as other branches of the restaurant across the state.
“The report from the integrity test will guide our next steps. If the structure is deemed unsafe, it will be demolished. Otherwise, appropriate measures will be taken to ensure safety going forward,” he said.
The commissioner noted that while no lives were lost in the incident, the government would not take any chances. “This building had approval and was undergoing renovation by a company planning to open an outlet here. Unfortunately, this collapse raises serious concerns,” he added.
He further stated that if any other outlets fail integrity tests, the government will not hesitate to shut them down or demolish them. “We cannot afford to compromise on public safety,” he stressed.
