Mallam Habib Shittu, uncle of the victims of the three-storey building that collapsed yesterday afternoon in Nigeria’s North-West state of Kaduna, has confirmed the death of three children. Five survivors are confirmed to have been rescued during combined operations by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and Red Cross.

“We were able to recover the head of one of the children that was killed in the rubble this morning and we are preparing for their burial right now,” Shittu said.

“The mother and a 40-month-old baby among the five that survived who are all members of the same family are receiving treatment at Jowako Hospital, Jos Road, near the scene of the incident. There father is away in France for an official engagement and he has been contacted,” he added.

A SEMA source said rescue operations came to an end around 1am shortly after the recovery of the head of one of the children.

Three out of the six children from the same family were however rescued.
NEMA sources however said seven were rescued, out of which two died on the spot and the third died in the hospital.

“We are waiting for the corpse from 44 Army Reference Hospital to burial arrangement according to Islamic rites,” Shittu said.

•Photo: After the rescue operations. Photo by Garba Ahmad.