Dingswayo
JF-Expert Member
- May 26, 2009
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The Coroner inquest into the building collapse at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) continued on Thursday, as the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Development and Urban Planning, Toyin Ayinde, testified that the collapsed guesthouse has no approval from the state government.
This is even as further hearing on the matter has been adjourned till November 5, 2014.
Testifying before the court presided over by Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, the commissioner revealed that at the initial stage he arrived at the collapsed scene, he, alongside his team, had difficulty in gaining access into the site but for the timely intervention of the police officials on duty that paved the way for them.
The witness further told the Coroner that as at the time of the visit, nothing much had been done to remove debris from the collapsed site.
According to Ayinde, "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 aircrafts that flew over the building at that time might have been probably responsible for the collapse of the building.
"We sent the CCTV footage to the NCAA to ascertain the aircrafts that flew at the time the building collapsed. We later got information from the NCAA that some Air Force aircraft were on rehearsal.
"In fact, 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 (Thursday), we were yet to get a reply.
During cross-examination by lawyer representing SCOAN, Olalekan Ojo, the commissioner agreed that the existence of a building approval has nothing to do with the structural stability of the intended building.
The witness also confirmed that there is no scientific proof that a building will stand or fall if there is no plan.
Ayinde also said: "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."
allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Collapsed Synagogue Building Has No Approval - LASG
This is even as further hearing on the matter has been adjourned till November 5, 2014.
Testifying before the court presided over by Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, the commissioner revealed that at the initial stage he arrived at the collapsed scene, he, alongside his team, had difficulty in gaining access into the site but for the timely intervention of the police officials on duty that paved the way for them.
The witness further told the Coroner that as at the time of the visit, nothing much had been done to remove debris from the collapsed site.
According to Ayinde, "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 aircrafts that flew over the building at that time might have been probably responsible for the collapse of the building.
"We sent the CCTV footage to the NCAA to ascertain the aircrafts that flew at the time the building collapsed. We later got information from the NCAA that some Air Force aircraft were on rehearsal.
"In fact, 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 (Thursday), we were yet to get a reply.
During cross-examination by lawyer representing SCOAN, Olalekan Ojo, the commissioner agreed that the existence of a building approval has nothing to do with the structural stability of the intended building.
The witness also confirmed that there is no scientific proof that a building will stand or fall if there is no plan.
Ayinde also said: "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."
allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Collapsed Synagogue Building Has No Approval - LASG
