Eight feared dead as Sanwo-Olu orders demolition after GNI building fire

02/01/2026

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has confirmed the death of eight persons in the fire incident that gutted the 25-storey Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Building on Martins Street, Lagos Island, on Christmas Eve, ordering decisive measures including the demolition of unsafe structures in the area.

The governor stated this on Friday during an on-the-spot assessment of the fire-ravaged building, nine days after the inferno, with pockets of fire still visible at the site. He said 13 persons were rescued alive from the building, while search and recovery operations had confirmed eight fatalities.

Sanwo-Olu, who described the incident as tragic and deeply painful, led members of his entourage in observing a minute of silence in honour of those who lost their lives. He attributed the outbreak of the fire to human error and stressed the need for stricter compliance with safety regulations in commercial and residential buildings across the state.

The governor revealed that several adjoining buildings along Martins Street, Shitta Street and Breadfruit Street were affected by the fire, noting that multiple generators were discovered on different floors of nearby shopping plazas. According to him, such unsafe practices significantly increase fire risks and endanger lives.

He warned that the state government would not hesitate to take tough decisions, including the demolition of any structure found to have failed integrity tests after thorough technical assessments.

Declaring the immediate vicinity of the GNI building unsafe, Sanwo-Olu cautioned residents, traders and passers-by against accessing the area, pending a phased and carefully controlled demolition of the affected structure. He said safety agencies would continue to secure the location to prevent secondary disasters.

The governor also advised traders and business owners to prioritise their lives over property during emergencies, lamenting that some of the victims had been safely evacuated but reportedly returned to retrieve goods before becoming trapped.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has set up a help desk at the scene to document reports of missing persons whose shops or businesses were located within the affected plaza. The agency is working with other emergency responders to ensure proper documentation and support for affected families.

Sanwo-Olu was accompanied on the inspection by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso; Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Mr Gbenga Oyerinde; Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu; General Manager of the Lagos Command and Control Centre, Mr Femi Kennedy-Giwa; and other senior government officials.

As at the time of the visit, Martins Street remained shut to business activities, with security personnel and emergency agencies maintaining a cordon around the area. The state government assured residents that further updates would be provided as recovery efforts and structural assessments continue.