Heroic rescue in Abuja as man survives 10 hours under collapsed building

A dramatic rescue operation took place in the Lifecamp area of Abuja following the collapse of a three-storey building, which left a 27-year-old Nigerien man trapped beneath the debris for nearly ten hours.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, in a statement released on Sunday, confirmed the incident and praised the swift response of emergency services who worked tirelessly to locate and extract the survivor.

According to the police, the collapse occurred unexpectedly, prompting immediate deployment of first responders from multiple agencies including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Fire Service, alongside the police and local volunteers.

The statement, signed by FCT Police Public Relations Officer Josephine Adeh, said:”On 2nd August 2025 at approximately 6:15 PM, the FCT Police Command received a distress call reporting the collapse of a three-storey building in the Lifecamp area of Abuja. Upon receiving the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Lifecamp Division, promptly mobilized a rescue team to the scene, cordoned off the area, and commenced a coordinated rescue operation in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), officials from the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Development Control Department, Zeberced Construction Company, and Julius Berger Construction Company, with full compliment of multi-agency patrol and enforcement Teams.

“At about 4:00 AM on 3rd August 2025, rescue teams successfully extricated Aliyu Salisu, a 27-year-old male and citizen of Niger Republic, the lone victim who had remained trapped in the rubble for close to ten hours of life saving operation. He was immediately rushed to Cedar Crest Hospital, Gudu, for medical evaluation and comprehensive medical care. He’s currently responding to treatment.”

The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ajao S. Adewale, who personally oversaw the operation, praised the swift and coordinated efforts of all agencies involved.

“The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ajao S. Adewale, psc, mnips, who was personally at the scene to oversee the rescue operations, commended the timely and professional response of both NEMA and FCTA Development Control officials as well as other Service Commanders who were on ground with their men.”

The police urged residents to remain alert and to promptly report emergencies or suspicious activity to the Command’s Control Room via: 0803 200 3913, 0806 158 1938.