NEMA Coordinates Rescue Operation After Enugu Building Collapse, Recovers One Body
By Pan Afric Reporters
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has intensified search and rescue operations following the collapse of a four-storey uncompleted building at Independence Layout in Enugu State, with emergency responders recovering the lifeless body of one male victim.
The development was contained in a statement issued by Manzo Ezekiel of the Press Unit, NEMA Headquarters, on Sunday, September 13, 2026, following the building collapse and the agency’s deployment of an Emergency Rescue Team to coordinate the response with relevant stakeholders.
The incident occurred at about 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, prompting NEMA Director-General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, to immediately direct the agency’s Enugu Operations Office to deploy its Emergency Rescue Team to the scene and commence coordinated rescue operations.
According to NEMA, upon arrival at the scene, responders were informed that some persons might be trapped beneath the rubble, leading to the immediate commencement of search and rescue operations.
An excavator was subsequently mobilised to facilitate the painstaking removal of debris and assist emergency responders in gaining access to areas where victims might be trapped.
As of 11:20 a.m., the joint rescue team had successfully recovered the lifeless body of one male victim from the collapsed structure.
NEMA, however, said rescue operations remained ongoing, as emergency responders continued to search through the rubble to determine whether other victims were still trapped beneath the collapsed building.
The agency said the operation was being coordinated in collaboration with the Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Nigeria Police Force, Enugu State Fire and Rescue Service, Enugu State Capital Territory Development Authority, and the Enugu State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure.
NEMA said the continued operation was aimed at ensuring that the debris was thoroughly searched and that any other persons trapped under the rubble were located and rescued.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to coordinating emergency response efforts and working with relevant state and federal stakeholders to manage the incident.
