A Nigerian family has alleged that at least three of their relatives died and were burnt beyond recognition following a fire and partial collapse at the 25-storey Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) House in Balogun Market, Lagos Island, on December 24, according to a report by SaharaReporters. The fire, which reportedly started on the fourth floor and spread to higher levels, weakened the structure and trapped traders inside, with emergency officials citing poor storage practices, combustible materials and structural design flaws as contributing factors.
Although the Lagos State Government has yet to officially confirm casualty figures, traders and eyewitnesses reported several deaths and numerous injuries, a claim reinforced by Mr Emmanuel Anumba, who said his relatives — Stephen Onyeka Omatu, 40; Casmir Nnabuike Omatu, 39; and Collins Kenechukwu Omatu, 37 — are believed to have died in the incident.
A surviving twin, Camillus Ugochukwu Omatu, said the family eventually accessed the site with the help of scavengers and recovered ashes for burial, alleging inadequate rescue efforts and a lack of urgency by authorities. “After days of search for the victims… it was discovered that all bodies are burnt beyond recognition. We resorted to taking ashes from the troubled area for their burial,” he said, adding, “Lagos State keeps saying no casualty was recorded, but how can they say that when we carried ashes of our own relatives?”
He further alleged that “no fewer than 50 persons” may have been trapped or killed, a claim not officially confirmed, as the Lagos State Government ordered residents and businesses within a 100-metre radius of the site to evacuate immediately, warning that “several buildings around the scene of fire are compromised and must be evacuated.”