The proceeding of the coroner court investigating the collapse of a guest house belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations continued yesterday with the police witness, DSP Olushola Agboyi, officially identifying the aircraft which allegedly hovered over the building as Hercules CH 130 belonging to the Nigerian Air Force.
The police investigator, who is of the Homicide Section, Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, also insisted that the incident could have been sabotage.
Led in evidence by police lawyer, Mr. Chukwu Agwu, Agboyi testified that the aircraft was on a circuit training mission and was flying very low.
The witness said he led the team that investigated the collapse and also a member of the Federal Government’s panel.
Agboyi disclosed: “I recorded statements from 34 witnesses who claimed the aircraft was flying very low and had caused panic among residents of the Ikotun area.”
However, the witness noted that the police had not completely ruled out the possibility of structural defects as being responsible for the collapse, as they are still waiting for the final report of the investigating team put up by the Federal Government.
To support his argument, he disclosed that his team wrote to the Lagos State Ministry of Works to analyse the materials used for the building, adding that they were still awaiting the report.
He maintained that the preliminary reports suggested that the collapse could have been caused by internal sabotage from lodgers or visitors to the church.
He said: “The saboteur, undetected, could have used explosives or chemical substances to bring down the building.”
He told the coroner led by Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe that the Bomb Disposal Unit of the Police visited the scene of the incident but was yet to present their report.
Agboyi disclosed he interviewed one of the survivors, Mr Taiwo Temitayo Taiwo, who claimed “he heard a thunderous noise and saw lightening moments before the building came crashing.”
He said after watching the footages of the incident, he was of the view that it was consistent with controlled demolitions.
“The building came down in seconds. From the analysis of experts, the collapse looked like controlled demolition. It should be subjected to the testing of experts outside the country,” the witness suggested.
He explained further that the Federal Government inter-agency panel investigating the incident had yet to conclude its findings.
The proceedings continue today. – Vanguard.
