The number of dead bodies recovered at the site of the collapsed 21-storey building in Gerrard Road, Ikoyi area of Lagos State is now 44.

This comes as recovery operation by emergency agencies is still ongoing.

The building which was one of the exquisite 360 degrees towers crumbled last Monday around 2 pm.

The skyscraper, owned by Fourscore Heights Limited, trapped over 50 persons, including the firm’s Managing Director, Femi Osibona; his friend, a United States of America-based Nigerian businessman, Wale Bob-Oseni; his personal assistant, Oyinye Enekwe, and clients.

Other deceased persons include a member of the National Youth Service Corps, identified only as Oyindamola; an aluminium fabricator, Kenneth Otu; and an engineer and pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Living Water Parish, Ibafo, Ogun State, Ola Ogunfunwa.

Since the incident occurred, family members of victims and sympathisers have thronged the area daily, hoping to see their loved ones alive, while some have lamented that they were not allowed to identify their loved ones.

The affected families were, however, granted access on Saturday to find their loved ones among the corpses recovered and deposited at the Lagos Mainland Hospital morgue.

READ ALSO Wife, Brothers of Late Femi Osibona, owner of collapsed Ikoyi building allegedly fight over his money, exotic cars and other assets

The state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday around 6 pm, said 42 bodies had been recovered so far from the rubble.

On Sunday, the state government announced that one more body was recovered, bringing the number to 43.

However, a source revealed to The Punch on Sunday that two more bodies were recovered from the rubble, which increased the death toll to 44.

The source said one of the bodies was recovered around 8 pm on Saturday, while the other body was recovered around midnight.

“The recovery operation is still ongoing but should end by Monday morning. The work is about two per cent to completion,” the source added.