Published by Osasere Edomwonyi Ikpoba
Tears flowed freely and prayers echoed across the Muslim Cemetery in Oko-Olowo, Ilorin, on Wednesday morning as five members of the same family who perished in a devastating building collapse were laid to rest according to Islamic rites. The tragedy, which struck the Popo Giwa area of Ilorin West Local Government Area in the early hours of Tuesday, has left the community in deep mourning and reignited urgent calls for stricter building safety enforcement across the state.
The collapse occurred at approximately 5:08 a.m. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, when a two-storey building comprising 26 rooms caved in at Masalasi Gogoro, Popo-Giwa/Abemi. Eight of the rooms gave way entirely, trapping eight occupants beneath the heavy debris. Emergency responders, including the Kwara State Fire Service, the Federal Fire Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Disaster Management Department, and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), launched an immediate search-and-rescue operation. Two excavators were deployed to clear the rubble and create access to the trapped victims. Four victims were pulled out alive, while four others were recovered deceased. However, the death toll soon rose to nine as five more bodies were later retrieved from the wreckage.
The deceased were identified as members of the same extended family: Muhammed Bolakale, 55; Fasilat, 53; Mistura, 28; Barakat, 26; Zainab, 23; Hajia, 15; Muqtar, seven; and Fridaos, 10. The exact number of those buried on Wednesday morning has been confirmed as five, though the total number of fatalities from this tragedy has risen to nine. The Kwara State Fire Service noted that preliminary observations indicated the building was “unsafe and unfit for habitation” due to an inability to withstand pressure on its structural components.
The burial (janazah) prayer was led by renowned Islamic scholar and University of Ilorin lecturer, Professor Abubakar Imam Ali-Agan. In a heartfelt sermon, Ali-Agan urged Muslims to have absolute faith in Allah and accept His will in every situation, describing death as inevitable. He encouraged the bereaved family to take solace in the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, who described such tragic deaths as a source of admittance to paradise. He also called on the government to intensify public enlightenment campaigns on building safety and other measures to prevent such “preventable natural disasters”.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was represented at the funeral rites by Alhaji AbdulRazaq Jiddah. The governor’s presence, even through a representative, underscored the gravity of the tragedy and the government’s recognition of the loss suffered by the affected family.
The incident has cast a harsh spotlight on the persistent issue of building safety in Ilorin and across Nigeria, where poorly constructed or aging structures frequently collapse with devastating consequences. The Kwara State Fire Service has urged residents to promptly report visible signs of structural weakness, including cracks and other indications that a building may be unsafe. Property owners have also been advised to ensure their buildings are regularly inspected and maintained by qualified professionals to prevent further loss of lives and property.
For the grieving family and the Popo Giwa community, Wednesday’s burial was a moment of profound sorrow and quiet resilience. The prayers offered at the graveside were not just for the departed but also for the strength to endure an unbearable loss. As the soil covered the five graves, the weight of the tragedy settled on the community—a reminder that behind every statistic is a family shattered, and that the fight for safer buildings is a fight for lives.
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