People search for survivors after a church building collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria.
In addition to those
killed, there were "130 rescued from the rubble of the collapsed
guesthouse at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations," Ibrahim Farinloye,
spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, told CNN. "The
toll may increase as rescue operation is still ongoing because many
people are believed to be trapped under the rubble."
The two-story building is
located in the expansive compound of The Synagogue, Church of All
Nations, run by televangelist T.B. Joshua in the Ikotun area of Lagos,
said Farinloye.
The building came down Friday afternoon amid expansion work on three additional floors.
The rescue operation was
delayed by the refusal of members of the church to allow emergency
workers from NEMA access to the collapsed building.
"The church members were very aggressive and tried attacking emergency responders," Farinloye said.
Reporters covering the
incident were attacked by angry church members, who vandalized a TV
camera as a cameraman tried to capture footage of the collapsed
building, reporters at the scene said.
Joshua told Nigerian
newspapers Sunday that a low-flying aircraft had been repeatedly
circling the building and may have been responsible for the building
collapse.
NEMA's Facebook page
acknowledged the sabotage reports but also noted that two stories were
being added to the building without fortifying the foundation of the
initial structure. There is a "high probability" this is what caused the
collapse, NEMA said, adding that an investigation will ultimately
determine the cause.
Joshua, dubbed "The
Prophet" for his self-acclaimed healing powers and prophesies, has a
large following among Nigerians and followers across the world.
His church attracts
thousands of followers who attend his church every week to listen to
Joshua's sermons, which are also telecast live on the church's
television station.
