ABUJA, April 20 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and 15 others rescued after a three-story building collapsed in Nigeria's southwestern state of Lagos, the country's emergency management agency said Sunday.

The three-story building collapsed on Saturday morning in Ojodu-Berger, a suburb of Lagos, leaving an unknown number of people trapped, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said earlier.

Ibrahim Farinloye, NEMA coordinator in Lagos, told reporters on Sunday that a total of five bodies have so far been recovered from the rubble since rescue operations began. He said there is a possibility for more victims to be found or rescued, as rescuers continue to search the debris of the collapsed building.

Also speaking to reporters on the incident, Olumide Oluyinka, commissioner for physical planning and urban development in Lagos, said the building might have collapsed because it had been abandoned and left unplastered for a long time, which likely weakened its structure over time due to moisture.

Cases of building collapse are common in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, often leading to heavy casualties. Local experts blamed these incidents on aging structures, non-compliance with building regulations, and the use of substandard construction materials. Enditem

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