Seven days after the devastating fire and partial collapse of the Great Nigeria Insurance Building at Balogun Market, Lagos Island, Stephen Onyeka Omatu and his two brothers remain trapped under the rubble, as desperate families renew calls for urgent intervention by the Lagos State Government and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).
For seven days, a wife has waited endlessly for her husband. For seven days, children have continued to ask for their father.
For seven days, families have stood helplessly under the scorching heat, hoping at the very least, to recover the bodies of their loved ones.
The three brothers, all from the same mother, were among traders and market assistants trapped when a section of the multi-storey building collapsed during the inferno that broke out last Wednesday at the Balogun Market axis of Lagos Island.
Investigations by Hybridnewsng revealed that the fire started on the fourth floor of the 25-storey building, spread rapidly to the sixth floor, and eventually engulfed other sections and adjoining structures. A detached section of the complex, estimated to be about seven floors, collapsed during the incident, trapping dozens of people beneath the debris.
Emergency responders initially rescued 13 individuals, while three bodies were recovered on Friday, including that of a China-based cloth dealer identified simply as Omatu.
However, as of Sunday, no fewer than 20 people were still believed to be trapped under the rubble, according to relatives and eyewitnesses at the scene.
A source familiar with the victims said: “Steven Onyeka Omatu is my classmate and the vice president of our alumni association. He and his brothers are still under the rubble. Families are waiting in agony. We urgently need the Lagos State Government and emergency agencies to intensify rescue efforts. These are human beings, not statistics.”
One of the relatives, Alhaja Muibat Ajetumobi, said her brother, Taofeek, had gone to help traders move their goods when the building collapsed.
“He lives at Pedro. When the fire started, he rushed to help his friends. That was when the building gave way. He has been under the rubble since then. I have not slept since this happened. I know emergency workers are trying, but they need more hands.”
Another relative, Augustine Nwafor, said two of his brothers, Onyeka and Ikechukwu were still trapped.
“One is my maternal brother and the other is my village brother. The major problem is the fire. LASEMA cannot access the exact spot because the heat is still intense. Once the fire trucks go to refill water, operations stop, sometimes for over two hours.”
Similarly, Fatima Ibitoye, whose brothers Aborinwa and Omoniyi are trapped, stressed the urgent need for more water supply and firefighting equipment.
“What we need now is water. That is what the responders themselves are asking for. About seven or eight fire engines came, and we appreciate that, but the exact spot where our people are trapped is still burning.
We believe about 20 people are still under the rubble. Even if they are no longer alive, we are begging the government to help us recover their bodies.”
A senior official of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, confirmed that another body was discovered on Sunday.
“We recovered a body, but it was only half. Efforts are ongoing to recover the remaining part,” the official said.
Search-and-rescue operations officially entered the seventh day, with families growing increasingly frustrated over the pace of recovery.
Great Nigeria Insurance Reacts
Meanwhile, Great Nigeria Insurance Plc (GNI) has distanced itself from the operations of the affected building, stating that it neither occupies nor manages the property.
In a statement signed by its management, the company expressed sympathy with victims and businesses affected by the fire, describing the incident as unfortunate.
GNI explained that it was granted a long lease of the bare land at No. 47/57 Martins Street by the Shitta-Bey family, with the lease expected to expire on December 31, 2036, and that it constructed the 25-storey building strictly for investment purposes.
The company disclosed that it has been locked in a prolonged legal dispute with the Shitta-Bey family, who allegedly took over the property despite subsisting court orders.
According to the statement:
“In 2020, while appeals were pending, the Shitta-Bey family forcefully took possession of the property and leased it out to tenants without recourse to GNI. The court later ordered them to vacate and restrained further trespass.”
GNI added that it has been denied physical possession of the property for over five years and has no operational presence in the building.
“Great Nigeria Insurance does not maintain any office in the affected building, and the fire incident has not impacted our operations in any way,” the company said.
