Absence of lawyers, parties stall Synagogue Church building collapse inquest

The absence of some lawyers and interested parties on Tuesday stalled the coroner's inquest into the collapse of a guest house within the Synagogue Church of All Nations.

The coroner, Mr Oyetade Komolafe, who expressed dissatisfaction with the low turn-out, said the court was determined to conclude its proceedings within the next two weeks.

He, therefore, urged the lawyers and interested parties not to deploy tactics that would delay the court from achieving its objective.

According to him, interested parties will utilise the remaining days in this week to watch the CCTV footage of the incident already before the court.

Komolafe, consequently, adjourned the matter till Feb.17 for further hearing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inquest was instituted under the Lagos State Coroner’s System Law No. 7 of 2007 for the purpose of unraveling the cause of the incident.

One hundred and sixteen persons lost their lives after the six-storey building belonging to the church collapsed on Sept.12, 2014.

Mrs Fola Soetan, the National Executive Coordinator, Life Savers Foundation (LSF), an NGO, testifying at the last proceeding, said that Nigeria's rescue agencies should be properly equipped.

She said with that in place, they would be able to discharge their responsibilities as and when due.

Soetan had said that both the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) needed adequate equipment to perform their rescue operations.

Also testifying, SCOAN's Chief Security Officer, Mr Sunday Okojie, had told the court that NEMA and LASEMA came ill-equipped to rescue those who were trapped under the rubbles.

Okojie alleged that both agencies came to the scene without an ambulance, but the church provided 11 ambulances while the Nigerian Red Cross Society and Life Savers provided one each.