THE Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Development and Urban Planning, Mr
Toyin Ayinde, on Thursday, revealed that the collapsed guest house, belonging to
the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), has no approval from the state
government.
Testifying before the coroner, sitting in Ikeja and presided over by chief magistrate, Mr Oyetade Komolafe, the commissioner revealed that when he arrived at the collapsed scene, he alongside his team had difficulty in gaining access, but for the timely intervention of the police officials on duty, who paved way for them.
He told the coroner that as of the time of the visit, nothing much had been done to remove the debris from the collapsed site.
“Prophet T.B Joshua invited us into his office and requested to know if we have seen the CCTV footage and we answered in the negative.
“However, the CCTV footage given to us indicated that the aircraft which flew over the building at that time might have been responsible for the collapse of the building.
“We sent the CCTV footage to the NCAA to ascertain the aircraft which flew at that time the building collapsed. We later got an information from the NCAA that some air force aircraft were on training.
“The approval given to the church was for the main building and not the one that collapsed. The collapsed building, by the record of the Lagos State government, does not have approval.
“We later demanded for the drawing of the collapsed building from Prophet T.B Joshua and other materials, but up till today, we are yet to get a reply,” he said.
During cross-examination by lawyer representing SCOAN, Olalekan Ojo, the commissioner agreed that the existence of a building approval had nothing to do with the structural stability of the intended building.
He also confirmed that there was no scientific proof that a building would stand or fall, if there was no plan.
“If you fail to plan, you have already planned to fail. The building collapsed as a result of structural defect. There is no doubt that there is need to control movement in and out of an emergency scene.
“The police qualify as security operatives to ensure security at the scene. I identified myself to the police officers on duty and I was immediately allowed entry to the scene of the collapsed building.
“From the CCTV footage I watched, I discovered that the collapsed building fell assymetrically. I can confirm that there are cases of induced demolition of the building.
“I don’t have the competence to observe that the collapsed building fell at once. There was a report that the area was not monitored until the building collapsed.
“I saw a uniform movement of aircraft and not hovering. I didn’t see any aircraft move very close to the collapsed building. I cannot determine the distance of any of the aircraft which flew round the collapsed building belonging to the Nigerian Air force.
“I cannot confirm that the police division in Ikotun had earlier raised any alarm that strange aircraft have been flying at low range round the area,” he said.
http://www.tribune.com.ng/news/news-headlines/item/20186-collapsed-synagogue-building-did-not-have-approval-commissioner
Testifying before the coroner, sitting in Ikeja and presided over by chief magistrate, Mr Oyetade Komolafe, the commissioner revealed that when he arrived at the collapsed scene, he alongside his team had difficulty in gaining access, but for the timely intervention of the police officials on duty, who paved way for them.
He told the coroner that as of the time of the visit, nothing much had been done to remove the debris from the collapsed site.
“Prophet T.B Joshua invited us into his office and requested to know if we have seen the CCTV footage and we answered in the negative.
“However, the CCTV footage given to us indicated that the aircraft which flew over the building at that time might have been responsible for the collapse of the building.
“We sent the CCTV footage to the NCAA to ascertain the aircraft which flew at that time the building collapsed. We later got an information from the NCAA that some air force aircraft were on training.
“The approval given to the church was for the main building and not the one that collapsed. The collapsed building, by the record of the Lagos State government, does not have approval.
“We later demanded for the drawing of the collapsed building from Prophet T.B Joshua and other materials, but up till today, we are yet to get a reply,” he said.
During cross-examination by lawyer representing SCOAN, Olalekan Ojo, the commissioner agreed that the existence of a building approval had nothing to do with the structural stability of the intended building.
He also confirmed that there was no scientific proof that a building would stand or fall, if there was no plan.
“If you fail to plan, you have already planned to fail. The building collapsed as a result of structural defect. There is no doubt that there is need to control movement in and out of an emergency scene.
“The police qualify as security operatives to ensure security at the scene. I identified myself to the police officers on duty and I was immediately allowed entry to the scene of the collapsed building.
“From the CCTV footage I watched, I discovered that the collapsed building fell assymetrically. I can confirm that there are cases of induced demolition of the building.
“I don’t have the competence to observe that the collapsed building fell at once. There was a report that the area was not monitored until the building collapsed.
“I saw a uniform movement of aircraft and not hovering. I didn’t see any aircraft move very close to the collapsed building. I cannot determine the distance of any of the aircraft which flew round the collapsed building belonging to the Nigerian Air force.
“I cannot confirm that the police division in Ikotun had earlier raised any alarm that strange aircraft have been flying at low range round the area,” he said.
http://www.tribune.com.ng/news/news-headlines/item/20186-collapsed-synagogue-building-did-not-have-approval-commissioner
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