Nearly ten months after a devastating fire gutted the Great Nigeria House on Lagos Island, victims and the families of those who perished have appealed to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for urgent assistance. The survivors allege that their situation has become unbearable, noting that unlike victims of other recent disasters in the state, they have not received any government aid to alleviate their suffering.
The tragedy occurred on December 24, 2025, at approximately 4:40 p.m., in the heart of Balogun Market. Emergency response teams from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Federal Fire Service arrived at the scene but were reportedly hampered by water scarcity, which allowed the blaze to persist for several days.
While initial reports indicated no fatalities, subsequent search-and-rescue operations confirmed that several people had died, with others sustaining critical burns and smoke inhalation. The economic impact was severe, as importers, retailers, and online vendors lost their investments in goods stocked for post-Christmas sales, wiping out years of savings and businesses overnight.
Days after the incident, Governor Sanwo-Olu visited Martins Street to assess the damage. Following this, engineers from the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) declared the building structurally compromised beyond repair and ordered its total demolition, while a 100-metre hazard radius was cordoned off. However, victims state that this visit marked the last significant attention they received from the state government.
“It is almost one year now and we have not received any help. Our children are out of school, we have no capital to start again, and families of those who died are suffering,” said Martin, a victim who lost both his shop and his brother in the fire.
Another trader highlighted the disparity in government response, referencing the compensation provided to victims of the Dosunmu Market fire. “We saw what happened in Dosunmu Market. The government compensated the victims. Why have they forgotten us? We are begging Governor Sanwo-Olu to remember us,” the trader said.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
