Speak Out for Justice Advocacy Ltd/Gte (SOJA) has condemned the tragic death of Barrister Abdulsalami Ginsau, a Nigerian lawyer and politician, who reportedly lost his life after being trapped in an elevator at a hotel in Abuja on March 31, 2026.
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In a press release signed by its Executive Director and Founder, Hameed Ajibola Jimoh, Esq., the human rights organisation described the death as “avoidable” and called for urgent safety regulations and accountability.
According to reports, the deceased was allegedly trapped in the elevator for a prolonged period and suffocated, raising grave concerns about building safety standards, emergency response systems, and regulatory compliance in Nigeria’s hospitality and construction sectors.
“This unfortunate incident, if established, is not merely an accident — it raises serious questions of negligence, duty of care, and systemic regulatory failure, particularly where human life is involved,” SOJA stated.
The rights group highlighted the legal implications of the incident, citing constitutional and international human rights provisions protecting the right to life.
Section 33(1) provides: “Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life…”
SOJA noted that this provision extends to situations where death occurs due to negligence or failure of systems meant to preserve life.
The group also cited relevant international instruments:
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), 1948, Article 3: “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.”
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Article 6(1): “Every human being has the inherent right to life… No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.”
- African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Article 4: “Human beings are inviolable. Every human being shall be entitled to respect for his life…”
SOJA outlined Nigeria’s obligations under international human rights law:
To Protect: This requires the State to prevent third parties — including building owners, engineers, and facility operators — from endangering lives through negligence, poor maintenance, or failure to adhere to safety standards.
To Fulfil: This requires the State to establish and enforce adequate legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks to ensure public safety, including strict building codes, elevator safety regulations, inspection regimes, and emergency response systems.
“Where such frameworks are weak, absent, or poorly enforced, resulting in loss of life, it raises concerns of failure of State responsibility,” the group stated.
SOJA emphasised the critical nature of elevator safety.
“The death of Barrister Abdulsalami Ginsau highlights a dangerous gap in safety compliance and enforcement in Nigeria’s built environment,” the organisation stated.
“Elevators are not luxuries — they are life-dependent systems, and any failure in their design, maintenance, or emergency response mechanisms can have fatal consequences.”
“No individual should lose their life in such a preventable and distressing manner.”
SOJA called on the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, and relevant regulatory and safety agencies to take the following actions:
- Conduct a thorough, transparent, and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death
- Determine any negligence, regulatory breaches, or safety failures
- Ensure that all responsible parties are held accountable in accordance with the law
- Develop and enforce comprehensive national regulations on elevator safety and building maintenance
- Mandate periodic certification, inspection, and compliance audits of all elevators in public and private buildings
- Criminalise gross negligence in the installation, maintenance, and operation of elevators and similar life-dependent infrastructure
- Require installation of functional emergency systems in elevators, including alarms, communication devices, ventilation systems, and backup power supply
- Establish rapid-response protocols for rescue in cases of mechanical entrapment
SOJA concluded with a call for systemic reform.
“The loss of Barrister Abdulsalami Ginsau must not be treated as just another tragic incident. It must serve as a wake-up call for systemic reform,” the organisation stated.
“A society that fails to safeguard basic infrastructure places every citizen at risk.”
“Human life must never be subjected to preventable danger arising from negligence or regulatory failure.”
“Justice must not only be demanded — it must be delivered!”
The tragic death of Barrister Abdulsalami Ginsau in an elevator at an Abuja hotel exposes the dangerous gaps in safety compliance and enforcement in Nigeria’s built environment.
The incident raises troubling questions about the state of elevator maintenance, emergency response systems, and regulatory oversight in buildings across the country — particularly in hotels and public facilities where such systems are essential.
SOJA’s call for the criminalisation of gross negligence in elevator installation, maintenance, and operation reflects growing frustration with preventable deaths caused by infrastructure failures.
For the family of Barrister Ginsau, the demand for accountability is personal. But for millions of Nigerians who use elevators daily in hotels, office buildings, hospitals, and shopping malls, the incident serves as a stark reminder that their safety depends on regulatory frameworks that may be weak, absent, or poorly enforced.
The response of the Federal Government, FCTA, and relevant regulatory agencies to SOJA’s calls will determine whether this tragedy leads to meaningful reform — or becomes another forgotten incident in Nigeria’s long list of preventable deaths.
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