The Coroner handling the inquest into the collapsed six-storey building within the premises of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) on September 12, 2014, Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, has indicted the church and contractors handling the construction works.
The church is founded by Prophet T. B. Joshua. The coroner stated that structural failure due to the combination of designs and detailing errors were responsible for the collapse and not the movement of any aircraft as alleged by the church.
The Coroner also disclosed that building permits and approval were not obtained in respect of the collapsed building. Foundation failure, according 
to the Coroner, was the remote cause of the collapsed building. Magistrate Komolafe made the disclosures while delivering his verdict yesterday.
to the Coroner, was the remote cause of the collapsed building. Magistrate Komolafe made the disclosures while delivering his verdict yesterday.
The magistrate said: “The contractors, Engineers Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun, of Hardrock Construction Company Ltd, of the collapsed building at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) should be investigated and tried for negligence by the relevant authorities.
“Synagogue Church of All Nations should be investigated and prosecuted under the law by relevant authority for not possessing necessary building permits.
“Relevant authority should carry out detailed ‘fitness for habitation test’ on all the structures and buildings within the premises of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).” The September 2014 incident left about 116 people dead, majority of whom are South Africans.
In his verdict, the Coroner said the death of the victims of the collapsed building was consistent with the blunt force trauma that would normally be sustained from such an incident.
In her verdict, Magistrate Oyetade also made some recommendations which include that: Individuals and organisations must endeavour to obtain relevant building permits before commencement of any building construction; Individuals and organisations must engage the services of qualified and competent Engineers and Consultants in carrying out building constructions.
She also recommended that the Divisional Police Officer, Ikotun Police Station, CSP Haruna Alaba, should forthwith be transferred from the said Ikotun Police Station and another Divisional Police Officer takes over.
According to her, government should reduce the cost of obtaining necessary building permits and approval and remove all administrative 
bottlenecks in order to encourage people go through the due process of obtaining the documents before commencement of building construction. Earlier on, the Coroner had revealed the identities of the victims of the incident.
bottlenecks in order to encourage people go through the due process of obtaining the documents before commencement of building construction. Earlier on, the Coroner had revealed the identities of the victims of the incident.
The identities of six out of the 116 victims could however not be traced. Some of the causes of death of the victims, according to the medical team led by the Lagos State Chief Medical Examiner, Prof. John Obafunwa, are: multiple injuries, severe cerebral injury, congesting cardiac failure, multiple rib fractures, skull fractures and building collapse.
The inquest was instituted under the Lagos State Coroner’s System Law No. 7 of 2007 for the purpose of establishing the cause and manner of the collapsed building incident.
While the proceedings lasted, 32 witnesses testified while 45 exhibits were also tendered.
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