Collapsed Nigerian building had permit for 15 floors, not 21

Authorities in Nigeria's largest city say the owner of a high-rise apartment building that collapsed suddenly has been arrested

LAGOS, Nigeria -- Authorities in Nigeria have arrested the owner of a high-rise apartment building in the country's largest city that suddenly collapsed, killing at least 14 people and leaving dozens still missing Tuesday beneath the rubble.

Nine people have been pulled out alive, an official said, but relatives were angry at what they called the slow pace of the rescue effort that began hours after the collapse on Monday.

Meanwhile, officials said the property's developers had added six more floors than what was originally approved under their building permit in the city of Lagos, fueling speculation that the additional weight could have contributed to the collapse. The government-run News Agency of Nigeria reported that the building's owner had been arrested on undisclosed charges.

“I am on the ground here and the materials he used are so inferior and terrible,” Gbolahan Oki, general manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, told the News Agency of Nigeria. "He got approval for 15 floors but built 21."