TheCable

Rescue operations at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos, where a building collapsed on Friday, were still ongoing as at Saturday afternoon, some 24 hours after the tragedy.

However, a member of the church sensationally claimed that many of the people who died in the collapse “have woken up”.

The church member, who operates a restaurant in the area, said God used the incident to “prove his worth” in the life of founder of the church, Pastor T. B. Joshua.

“It was yesterday that many knew that it is God that called this prophet,” she said after obtaining a promise that her name would not be mentioned.

“Many of the dead people woke up and nothing happened to them.

“Some would have died when they were trapped, but they called out for rescue by themselves. God is with his prophet; devil cannot bring him down.”

However, in stark contrast to the claim, a resident of the area told TheCable that ambulances kept on lifting “dead and injured people” out of the headquarters of the church “all through the night”.

As at Saturday afternoon when TheCable was still at the scene of the collapse, ambulances were seen trooping in and out of the church premises, which was cordoned off by policemen and private security guards.

Between the hours of 12:00 and 3pm, more than 20 ambulances went in and came out of the church.

The rescue team comprised officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Nigerian Red Cross, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Nigerian Police Force (NPF).

People were seen taking mattresses and pillows to some of the ambulances, probably to assist those who critically injured.

Members of the church who usually attend regular services were seen leaving in droves, and a middle-aged man who brought his ailing brother to the church for healing could not gain access into the premises.

“Can’t you see what is happening?” a female member of the church spotting a SCOOAN identity card asked him.

The depressed man left at once, but a crowd of people soon surrounded the vicinity, and a security officer displeased by the sheer number of onlookers and pictures being taken by this reporter attempted to confiscate his camera, only soft-pedalling after an agreement that all the pictures would be deleted.

“You people will just be writing anyhow,” he said in annoyingly.

“Now you can see for yourself. I think you people were saying the church has collapsed.

“In fact, what is your business with the people standing around here? You should just be careful.”

Traders adjacent to the church building refused to comment on the situation, and subsequent findings revealed that many of them were members of the church.

Addressing the media on the operation, Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, general manager of LASEMA, revealed that more than 70 peopled had been rescued and “taken to different hospitals”.

That did not stop journalists from being barred from entering the scene of the collapse, as female members of the church were even stationed all around area to break up groups of people holding discussions on the incident.

“Keep moving; just keep moving. Please don’t stop,” one of them said.

And another added: “Oh my God. What are you people discussing?”

A drama almost ensued when one of the ladies spoke rudely to a soldier.

“Oga, don’t stand there,” the woman bellowed.

“Including me? What do you mean?” the officer yelled in return.

Nearby security personnel and some officials of the church intervened to quickly resolve what was about to degenerate into an argument.

A woman who claimed that her elder sister was one of the food sellers at the guest house was seen weeping uncontrollably, but all efforts to make her speak yielded no result.

At the Igando General Hospital, a few kilometres away from the church, journalists were barred from going anywhere close to the emergency ward or the mortuary, while medical personnel declined to speak with the press.