The families of two men who lost their lives in a tragic fence collapse at the Kwara Hotel construction site in Ilorin are speaking out, accusing Craneburg Construction Company of treating their loss with utter disrespect.
More than a week after the fatal incident, which claimed the lives of Abdulfatai Adebayo and Friday Godwin, the grieving relatives say Craneburg has handled the aftermath with coldness and insult.
Rather than host the families in a proper condolence setting or their corporate office, company representatives allegedly summoned them to a fast-food restaurant—Kilimanjaro—near the Post Office in Ilorin. There, without ceremony or compassion, they handed over ₦2.1 million in cash as “compensation.”
“They humiliated us,” said one of the relatives, voice heavy with pain. “They sent a short, chubby man who introduced himself as the site supervisor. No company letter, no condolence, no sense of decency. They gave us plain A4 papers with no letterhead and asked us to fill it like we were signing a delivery form—not acknowledging the death of our brothers.”
Even more appalling to the families was a previous “gesture” Craneburg allegedly made to the widow of Adebayo—offering her one bag of rice, five litres of red oil, a pineapple, and a watermelon. That was their idea of compensation for a man who died at work, leaving behind a pregnant wife and four children.
“From the start, I told the elders that such an amount shouldn’t be accepted. This was a preventable death. Our brothers were working—earning their daily bread—and Craneburg failed to protect them. Now they act like it’s no big deal,” another family member said.
While some elders in the family urged acceptance of the compensation to “move on,” others remain adamant: “This is not God’s will—it’s corporate negligence,” one relative said.
The company’s silence, too, stings deeply. Despite the public outcry, Craneburg has yet to release a statement about the incident. Meanwhile, their workers are still demanding justice. On June 13, staff members staged a protest at the hotel site, mourning the latest death—Friday Godwin, whose body has yet to be transported home to Akwa Ibom for burial.
This marked the third fatality in one week. Earlier, Ahmed Taiye Jimoh and Abdulfatai Adebayo were killed when a section of the hotel’s perimeter fence collapsed during electrical drainage work.
Workers say the fence had long shown signs of weakness, and that safety concerns raised earlier had been ignored.
“Craneburg was told. Workers raised alarm. But nothing was done. Now three men are dead—and the company acts like they’re just numbers,” said a protester.
Adding to the pain, family members allege that Craneburg representatives are harassing the pregnant widow, asking her to bring in documents belonging to her late husband while ignoring calls for accountability or proper compensation.
“They are more concerned about preventing us from speaking out than actually making this right,” said one relative.
Craneburg, reportedly owned by the late Chizoba Wigwe, wife of former Access Bank CEO Herbert Wigwe, has not responded to requests for comment. The Kwara State Government, which awarded the renovation contract, has also remained silent.
For the families left behind, the loss is not just about money—it’s about dignity, justice, and a simple acknowledgment that their loved ones mattered.
“They died working. All we ask is for them to be honoured—not insulted with fruit baskets and unsigned forms,” one family member said, their voice trembling. “We are not done fighting.”
