Lagos govt sets up committee to demolish fire-ravaged GNI building

The Lagos State Government has constituted a Technical Recovery and Demolition Committee to manage the planned demolition of the fire-damaged Great Nigeria Insurance, GNI, Building on Lagos Island, as emergency response operations continue at the unstable site.

The decision followed a second inspection visit by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on January 2, 2026, according to an update issued on Friday by the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.
The committee, headed by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, has been tasked with developing and executing a carefully controlled demolition strategy for the affected structure and its immediate environment.

Authorities said the plan would be implemented as quickly as possible, with the safety of the public and emergency responders as the foremost consideration.
Providing an update on conditions at the location, the Fire and Rescue Service disclosed that emergency teams remain fully deployed, noting that the site is still highly unstable due to extensive debris and severely compromised structural components.

In a statement signed by the agency’s Controller General, Margaret Adeseye, the service described the area as “extremely sensitive and volatile,” with large volumes of rubble still in place.
She explained that pockets of fire are intermittently detected within the debris, largely fueled by combustible items such as textiles and clothing stored inside the building, rather than by the structure itself.
“These materials are deeply buried within the rubble, and accessing them requires specialised technical planning and extreme caution,” the statement said.

The agency clarified that although the remaining fire pockets do not pose an immediate threat to neighbouring buildings, any uncoordinated or premature removal of debris could trigger further collapse of the already weakened structure.
“The inferno has severely compromised the building’s foundation, making it structurally unsafe and unsuitable for any form of use,” the service stated, adding that some of the debris may currently be providing unintended support to the structure.
Officials stressed that all ongoing operations are being guided by international disaster response standards, with responder safety taking precedence over every other consideration.

They noted that large-scale incidents of this nature often require weeks or even months to be fully resolved.
On public safety measures, authorities confirmed that the affected market and surrounding areas remain shut, with access limited strictly to authorised emergency personnel.
An information desk has also been established at the site to address enquiries from families, traders and other concerned stakeholders.
Regarding casualties, the Fire and Rescue Service confirmed eight fatalities so far, five identified and three yet to be identified, while 13 people were rescued alive.
Search activities are continuing in sections of the debris deemed safe, to ensure no victims remain trapped.
Preliminary findings have also revealed significant fire safety violations within the building.
According to officials, these include excessive storage of combustible materials from floor to ceiling with little or no ventilation, the absence of functional fire safety installations, and hazardous practices such as operating generators inside buildings and shops constructed close to transformers.
The service warned that such conditions can lead to intense heat accumulation and spontaneous combustion, even without an external ignition source.
Reassuring the public, Adeseye said emergency operations would continue until all risks at the site are fully eliminated.
“All actions being undertaken are deliberate, professional and driven by safety considerations,” she said. “Operations will persist until ground zero is completely accessed and the incident is conclusively brought to an end.”