Students Escape Death As Four-Storey School Building Collapses In Lagos (Video)

Students and teachers of Yemco Nursery, Primary and Comprehensive College in the Ogba area of Lagos narrowly escaped death on Monday, March 9, 2026, after a four-storey building housing the institution collapsed minutes after they were evacuated.

The structure, located at 11 Adudatu Street behind County Hospital in the Aguda axis of Ogba, gave way around midday, sending shock waves through the neighbourhood.

Witnesses said the building came down barely three minutes after students and teachers were hurriedly evacuated, averting what residents described as a potential tragedy of massive proportions.

“The students narrowly escaped the incident. It was just about three minutes after they were evacuated from the building that the structure collapsed,” a resident told eyewitnesses, noting that the building had not shown obvious signs of imminent collapse beforehand.

Students Escape Death As Four-Storey School Building Collapses In Lagos pic.twitter.com/ybvgQBszwe

— Adebisichoice (@adebisichoice) March 10, 2026

According to accounts, an alert from a resident in the area – described by some as an elderly man and by others as a nearby fashion designer – prompted school authorities to act swiftly after cracks appeared on the walls.

Taiwo Ridwan, another resident, gave a chilling description of the sequence of events: “At first, the house started cracking little by little. The window frames had already fallen apart. After some minutes, the cement body of the house began peeling off. Not long after that, the building just sank.”

Preliminary reports indicate that ongoing renovation work on the ground floor may have triggered the visible distress, with wooden planks falling from the roof before the full collapse.

Officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, alongside the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), quickly secured the scene, restricted access, and carried out safety assessments on nearby structures. Part of the property used for residential purposes remained standing beside the collapsed school building.

As previously reported by NaijaChoice News, building collapses remain a recurring nightmare in Lagos, with a similar narrow escape recorded at Odokekere High School in Ikorodu earlier this year.

No fatalities were recorded in the Ogba incident. However, some students sustained injuries during the stampede that occurred while evacuating the premises and were hospitalised for treatment.

The Lagos State Government, through LASBCA, has launched a full-scale investigation into the collapse. In a statement on Tuesday, LASBCA Director of Public Affairs Adu Ademuyiwa confirmed: “The building, which accommodated both residential occupants and a private school, collapsed on Monday, causing concern within the neighbourhood. No casualties were recorded as students, staff and other occupants had exited the building before the incident occurred.”

The agency added that a comprehensive probe is underway to determine the exact circumstances, while warning property owners and developers to strictly comply with regulatory processes before undertaking any construction, renovation or structural modifications.

“LASBCA reiterates the importance of engaging appropriate regulatory processes and maintaining regular communication with building control authorities,” the statement stressed.

Attempts to obtain further comments from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service proved unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report. Residents have been urged to remain calm as technical assessments continue in the area.