The Oyo State Government has sealed off a collapsed commercial building under construction in the Dugbe area of Ibadan, amid suspicions that the use of substandard materials caused the structural failure.
The affected property reportedly belongs to a popular fast-food brand, Item7go, which was carrying out renovation work on the structure when the incident occurred.
Speaking during an on-the-spot assessment of the collapsed site on Monday, June 2, 2025, the Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Williams Akin-Funmilayo, confirmed that the building had been sealed to ensure public safety and allow for a comprehensive investigation.
“Earlier this morning, the message got to me that there was a building collapse at Dugbe, and we came over here to see things for ourselves,” Akin-Funmilayo told reporters.
“We thank God that there is no loss of life. But after seeing the extent of the collapse, we decided to seal off the site immediately to prevent further risk to lives and property.”
The Commissioner disclosed that preliminary findings indicated that the building materials used were of low quality.
“From what we have seen, substandard materials were used, and this has been corroborated by our professionals from the Ministry of Works. The Director of Public Building has equally looked at it and confirmed it,” he said.
Akin-Funmilayo announced that a thorough integrity test would be conducted not just on the collapsed building but also on other branches of the same restaurant chain in Ibadan and across the state.
“This outlet belongs to a popular eatery. I believe the same engineer handled this renovation and possibly their other outlets. Therefore, we will carry out an integrity test on all their buildings,” he stated.
He added, “If we find out that the other outlets fail the integrity test, we will bring them down, because we cannot afford to toy with the lives of our people.”
The Commissioner explained that although the building had existed prior to the renovation, government records showed that approval had been granted for redesign works. He stressed, however, that approval is not a license for poor workmanship.
“There is an approval for the design. But the government never anticipated that safety would be compromised at this level,” he noted.
He assured the public that the government would not hesitate to prosecute contractors or individuals found culpable in the structural failure.
“The result of the integrity test will determine the next step. If the structure can be salvaged, we will permit that. If not, it will be brought down,” he said.
