A Building Next Door Collapsed. Now a Lagos Church Has Seven Days to Demolish Its Own

• A neighbouring building under construction collapsed onto an RCCG parish in Somolu
• Worshippers inside at the time escaped unhurt
• The Lagos State Building Control Agency declared the church distressed
• The church was given seven days to remove the building

A Lagos congregation lost its worship centre through no building work of its own, The Guardian (Nigeria) reported on 18 June 2025. A building under construction next to a Redeemed Christian Church of God parish in the Somolu area collapsed on a Monday, damaging the church. Worshippers inside at the time escaped without injury.

An eyewitness, a trader, described the scene: “They were on the top floor when it began to fall. They jumped and ran. It’s a miracle no one died.”

After a structural assessment, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) declared the church building distressed. “This building has been declared distressed and must be removed within seven days,” the agency said in its notice, issued on the Tuesday. LASBCA official Adekomi Adeniyi said the order was necessary for public safety.

Pastor Daniel Ojo said the neighbouring structure had gone up quickly after an earlier demolition: “They started building immediately after demolition, and within days, it was rising fast. Now our members have nowhere to worship.” He worried about the congregation’s future: “We risk losing members if we move far. This church is like family.”

The case shows that a church’s building is only as safe as the construction around it. Poor oversight of a neighbour’s site can wipe out a congregation’s investment, and questions of liability and compensation can take years to settle.

Jamaican churches in crowded urban areas should take note. If construction starts next door, it is worth checking that it has approvals, recording the condition of the church building beforehand, and raising concerns with the municipal corporation early. Adequate insurance, and knowing what it covers, can decide whether a congregation can rebuild after a disaster it did not cause.

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