By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The death toll from the fire incident at the old Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) building on Lagos Island has risen to 12 following the recovery of four more bodies from the rubble.
The 22-storey commercial building was razed by fire on December 24, 2025, with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirming that the fire started on the fourth floor of the building and spread to adjoining structures and nearby shops, leading to a partial collapse estimated at seven floors.
In a statement on Monday, January 12, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said the Federal Government, through the agency, deployed heavy-duty equipment provided by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) to assist ongoing recovery operations at the site.
NEMA described the multi-agency effort, involving NEMA alongside CCECC, with supervision from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), and other stakeholders, as complex due to the precarious condition of the building.
It said, “Significant progress has been recorded with the controlled removal of debris and recovery of four bodies.”
The statement added that the recovered bodies had been documented and handed over to the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SHEMU) for forensic identification and dignified handling.
The site perimeter remains secured by military and police personnel even as NEMA stressed that all on-site activities remain under the authority of LASEMA and the Lagos State Government.
A strategic meeting involving NEMA’s Lagos Operations Office and key stakeholders, including the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Gbenga Oyerinde, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Arc GIS and Urban Development, Olajide Babatunde, outlined a phased plan for safe excavation, structural assessment, controlled demolition, and eventual site rehabilitation.
Recall that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu ordered the demolition of the 25-storey GNI building following the initial fire that claimed eight lives.
Speaking at the site during his visit, the governor confirmed five victims had been identified while three remained unaccounted for as of that time. He said emergency responders continued to search the debris to ensure no one remained trapped.
