Mother, two children die as building collapses in Kaduna

A 35-year-old woman and her two children have been killed after a building under construction collapsed on their residence in the Dan Mani community of Rigasa District, Kaduna State.

The incident occurred at about 3:30am on Friday in the Abuja Road, Kwanar Mai Dabino area of Rigasa.

The deceased were identified as Takiyatu, 35, her five-year-old son, Salisu, and three-month-old Muhammad.

The woman’s husband, Abubakar Abba Haruna, said he was away from home when the incident occurred, having spent the night at the residence of his other wife.

According to him, his eldest daughter alerted him to the incident by knocking on the door and telling him that a building had collapsed on their mother.

“I came out in confusion, took my motorcycle and rushed home,” Haruna said.

He said neighbours had already begun efforts to rescue the victims when he arrived, but they were eventually brought out dead.

“None of them had any sign of injury because the building collapsed on them,” he said.

Haruna described the tragedy as a painful test from God, saying the family could only accept the incident and pray for the deceased.

“What happened is from Allah, so there is nothing I can do except pray for them. May Allah have mercy on her and the children. It is a test that Allah has brought upon us. We can only be patient,” he said.

The community leader of the Abuja Road, Kwanar Mai Dabino area, Sani Ayuba, also confirmed the incident.

Ayuba said a fence belonging to a neighbouring structure under construction collapsed onto the house where the woman and her children were sleeping, trapping them beneath the rubble.

“Neighbours tried to bring them out, but unfortunately, they couldn’t be rescued alive,” he said.

He added that security agencies had been notified of the incident.

Ayuba expressed sadness over the deaths and prayed for the deceased to be granted eternal rest.