BCPG Raises Alarm Over Impending Collapse of School Building in Yaba

 Bennett Oghifo

The Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), Yaba Cell, has raised a fresh alarm over what it described as an “impending danger” posed by a distressed three-storey classroom block within the premises of Mainland Senior High School, Onayade Street, Fadeyi, in the Yaba Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.

In a letter dated January 30, 2026, and addressed to the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Jamiu Tolani Ali-Balogun, the professional body warned that continued delay and indecision by relevant authorities could expose pupils and teachers to avoidable tragedy, recalling painful lessons from previous building collapses in the state.

The letter, signed by the Coordinator of BCPG Yaba Cell, Engr. Bayo Ogunrinde, and its General Secretary, Bldr. Funmi Olaitan, noted that the building had been identified as distressed as far back as April 4, 2019, following non-destructive structural tests carried out by the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory in the aftermath of the deadly Ita-Faaji building collapse on Lagos Island, which claimed about 20 pupils in March 2019.

According to the guild, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) had clearly marked the three-storey block as distressed more than six years ago, yet no decisive remedial action had been taken. “It is worrisome that for over six years, the issue of this distressed school building remains untreated,” the letter stated, adding that the consequence of indecision in such matters could be fatal.

BCPG reminded the commissioner that the collapsed building at 63 Massey Street, Ita-Faaji, had also been tested and identified as distressed but was merely subjected to superficial renovation before its eventual collapse. The guild stressed that parents and survivors of that tragedy were yet to fully recover from the psychological trauma, underscoring the human cost of regulatory delay.

The concerns were further reinforced by a joint inspection conducted on December 4, 2025, when representatives of BCPG, accompanied by officials of LASBCA and the traditional ruler of the area, the Onisabe of Igbobi-Sabe, Oba Owolabi Adeyemi Adeniyi, visited the school. A visual assessment of the building reportedly revealed alarming defects, including a roof in serious disrepair and widespread spalling of concrete in slabs and beams, exposing corroded reinforcement bars.

The guild observed that the building elements had deteriorated significantly and no longer met the requirements of the National Building Code. Of particular concern was the fact that the distressed structure, though officially unoccupied, remained freely accessible, with no solid barriers to prevent pupils from entering. “An ordinary caution tape would not be a barrier to dissuade playful school children,” the letter warned.

BCPG also pointed out that the distressed block is dangerously close to other classroom and office buildings currently in use, raising fears that a collapse could have a domino effect. It cited recent incidents, including the collapse of a classroom building at Odokekere High School, Ikorodu, on January 15, 2026, and the deadly collapse at 335 Borno Way, Alagomeji, Yaba, in September 2025, which claimed five lives.

The guild urged the commissioner to treat the situation as a matter of urgency, recommending immediate isolation of the building with proper hoarding while a final decision—whether demolition or comprehensive structural intervention—is taken.

It further called on the Lagos State Safety Commission, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to prioritise safety within school premises, emphasising that prevention remains superior to crisis management.

“The exact time a building will collapse cannot be predicted,” BCPG warned, adding that uncertainty should compel, rather than delay, decisive action. The group concluded with an appeal that the commissioner’s tenure should not witness another avoidable school building collapse in Lagos State.