Lagos State Government has said the classroom block that partially collapsed at Odokekere High School in the Odo-Kekere community, Ikorodu, had been marked for demolition before the incident.
The government disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday by the Special Committee on Rehabilitation of Public Schools (SCRPS).
Residents of the Odo-Kekere community were thrown into panic on Thursday evening following the collapse of a section of a structure within the public school.
The incident occurred after school hours. According to reports, a part of the building gave way, drawing residents to the scene.
Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) were deployed to the area, where the premises were cordoned off.
Preliminary reports confirmed that students were not in the classrooms at the time of the collapse. Emergency teams also carried out checks to ensure that no security personnel or staff members were trapped in the rubble.
In its statement, the SCRPS said the bungalow classroom block had already been identified for demolition to allow for the construction of a new classroom structure to cater to the student population of the school.
The committee added that no casualty was recorded in the incident and that all students were safe.
“The classroom block had already been marked for demolition in order to construct a befitting classroom edifice that would accommodate the population of students in the school,” the statement said.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, according to the statement, has directed that the students be relocated to nearby schools to prevent disruption of academic activities.
The SCRPS said its officials would visit the school to assess the situation and work out plans for the commencement of construction of a new classroom block.
An eyewitness and resident of the area, Boluwaji Aderinto, said residents heard a loud sound before noticing the collapse and expressed concerns over the state of school buildings in the area.
“We heard a loud crack and then dust everywhere. It did not happen during school hours when children were in the classrooms,” she said.
Officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Education also visited the scene for assessment. A senior ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said officers, including the Tutor-General and Permanent Secretary of Education District II, were on site to assess the situation and determine next steps.
