Great Niger House Fire: NEMA Leads Multi-Agency Rapid Assessments, Rescue Operations Intensify in Lagos
The Director of Search and Rescue of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Air Commodore Usman Bature, on Thursday led a team of emergency responders from multiple agencies in a rapid site assessment of the Great Niger House building at Marina, Lagos Island, which was recently engulfed by fire.
Rescue operations at the site are still ongoing. NEMA said its Southwest Zonal Director is also in Lagos alongside the Director of Search and Rescue to reinforce the efforts of the Lagos Operations Office in effectively coordinating the multi-agency response.
According to a statement issued by the Head of NEMA’s Press Unit, Manzo Ezekiel, Air Commodore Bature explained that the assessment became necessary to guarantee the safety of responders working within the structurally compromised building, which has been severely weakened by the inferno and littered with massive debris. He said the evaluation would also determine the level of additional technical support required to sustain ongoing rescue operations.
He commended the Lagos State Government and responding agencies for their swift intervention and professionalism, noting that the magnitude of the incident remains significant and demands continuous joint mobilisation of government and private sector resources. He also urged members of the public to depend on verified information and refrain from circulating unconfirmed reports about the incident.
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The joint assessment involved teams from NEMA, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Federal Fire Service, Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Building Control Agency, as well as media representatives, among others.
Meanwhile, NEMA disclosed that a dedicated response team from its Lagos Operations Office has been permanently deployed to the scene to support the ongoing operations until the situation is fully stabilised.
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