Craneburg Workers Protest After Fence Collapse K!lls Colleague At Kwara Hotel Site

On Friday morning, the workers of Craneburg Construction Company, the firm responsible for the ongoing renovation of Kwara Hotel in Ilorin, staged a protest demanding justice and a proper burial for their late colleague, Friday Godwin. His death marks the third fatality at the site this week.

Two workers d!ed at the site on Tuesday. 

The protesters gathered at the entrance of the Kwara Hotel, located in the heart of the state capital, to express their outrage and grief.

They insisted that Godwin’s remains be transported to his home state of Akwa Ibom for a proper burial and called on the company to provide adequate compensation to his bereaved family.

Godwin’s death was confirmed on Friday, following an earlier tragic incident on Tuesday in which two other workers — Ahmed Taiye Jimoh, a native of Ile Ilorin in the Opomalu area, and Abdulfatai Adebayo from Bare Gambari — lost their lives when a section of the hotel’s perimeter fence collapsed during ongoing renovation work.

The workers accused the company of negligence, alleging that it had poor safety measures and an inadequate response to previous fatalities.



“We want the company to take full responsibility,” one of the protesting workers told SaharaReporters. “It’s not just about burying the dead — they must ensure this never happens again.”

The Kwara State Government had contracted Craneburg Construction to handle the massive renovation project of the Kwara Hotel, once a symbol of pride in the state’s hospitality sector.

Speaking to SaharaReporters, one of the workers’ representatives said they are demanding that Godwin’s body, which is currently in the mortuary, be released and taken to Akwa Ibom for a befitting burial.

He emphasised that the protest was staged because the deceased had not yet been taken home, and they believe the company must handle the matter with urgency and respect.



“We are here because of Friday Godwin. This incident that happened can happen to any of us. We will not resume work until the company takes Friday’s body to Akwa Ibom and gives him a proper burial. That is a matter between the company and his family,” the worker said.

Another protesting worker said, “If you’re asking us to return to work, we have no issues with anyone. The only thing we ask is that the body of Mr. Friday Godwin be taken to Akwa Ibom and given a proper burial.”



He added that the workers would consider returning to work once the company had concluded all settlement arrangements for their deceased colleague.

Another representative from a different section working under Craneburg Construction Company called for proper safety measures.

He warned the company not to use the protest as a pretext to sack workers who came out to demand justice for their colleagues who lost their lives while discharging their duties.

Speaking to SaharaReporters about the conditions at the construction site, he said there are still fences on the verge of collapse.

He asked, “What is the safety condition of the workers currently on site? What is the company doing about that? If we are being asked to resume work under the same unsafe conditions that led to the deaths of Mr. Friday Godwin, Ahmed Taiye Jimoh, and Abdulfatai Adebayo, then Craneburg should tell us if they are taking steps to address these safety concerns.

“I personally do not feel safe on that site. You’ve seen our faces out here today protesting. None of us is happy, and this protest should not be used as a reason to sack any of us. The company must not, under any circumstances, threaten to dismiss workers for demanding justice and safer working conditions.”



Meanwhile, some aggrieved workers told SaharaReporters that the company, Craneburg, arbitrarily sacks employees at will.

According to them, even when a worker is visibly fatigued and takes a moment to rest, they are immediately dismissed. They noted that such actions are contrary to the terms stated in their employment letters.

“People who have been working since morning, when they try to rest in the evening, are suddenly informed that they have been fired,” one of the aggrieved workers said.

The workers claimed that the company does not adhere to the conditions outlined in the employment agreement.

They also alleged that Craneburg fails to provide basic safety equipment, including gloves.

They noted that they had to personally purchase most of the tools and safety gear they use on the job.

“Craneburg is not abiding by the terms stated in the employment letter they gave us. It clearly states that work is to begin at 7:30 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m., with overtime from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. being optional and compensated,” another worker explained.

They added that without overtime, workers earn around ₦83,000 per month after necessary deductions. With overtime, some employees earn more than ₦90,000 per month.

However, they alleged that if any worker declines to work overtime, they are immediately sacked, even though overtime was supposed to be optional.

One of the aggrieved workers told SaharaReporters that when he resumed work, he brought his own safety equipment before the company eventually provided it for them.

“Now they are talking about taking the corpse and settling with the family of the deceased, but they are not talking about preventive measures,” he said.

“They need to put safety measures in place going forward. A person on whom a fence collapsed cannot protest—such a person is already gone.”



Meanwhile, Mohamad Yamout, the Project Manager of Craneburg Construction Company at Kwara Hotel, appealed to the workers to end the protest.

He promised that Friday Godwin’s body would be transported to Akwa Ibom State.



“Calm down. Let us pray together for Friday and the other two. They have already passed away. We are praying for Friday to rest in peace. His family will be contacted to take his body and travel bag,” he said.,

“After that, you can return to your homes. Once his family reaches out to their representative, they will contact me. We will then go to the security to resolve all issues. After that, we’ll talk about how the workers can return to work.”



Speaking on workers’ safety, he said: “Do you know that we distributed a lot of safety gear to everyone? But a few people took them home and never returned them. I know what that means—they kept it in their houses.

“We are trying to do the best we can, but you have to help us. If you see your colleague who has safety equipment but is not using it, and you’re a supervisor, stop him. Take his bag outside and don’t let him enter the site. You have to help me before I can help you.

“You have your safety gear, but you’re not using it. Yes, we have safety officers, but you know they can be strict. We are doing our best, but you, as a supervisor, must also do your part. If a worker doesn’t come with their safety gear, tell them to leave the site.”