A Nigerian family has said at least three of their relatives died and their remains could not be properly identified after the recent fire and partial collapse of a commercial complex in Lagos.

The 25-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House in Balogun Market, Lagos Island, went up in flames on December 24. The fire reportedly began on the fourth floor before spreading rapidly, eventually causing part of the structure to collapse.

The blaze affected floors up to the sixth and beyond, weakening the building and trapping occupants, including traders. Emergency officials cited poor storage practices, highly combustible materials and structural design issues as factors that intensified the incident.

Although the state government has yet to officially confirm the casualty figures, traders and eyewitnesses reported several deaths and numerous injuries.

Mr. Emmanuel Anumba, a relative of some of the missing victims, told SaharaReporters that three siblings, Stephen Onyeka Omatu, 40; Casmir Nnabuike Omatu, 39; and Collins Kenechukwu Omatu, 37, are believed to have died in the fire.

A surviving twin, Camillus Ugochukwu Omatu, narrowly escaped and has been leading efforts to locate the victims.

“After days of search for the victims, we accessed the building through the assistance of scavengers who are allegedly around to buy irons scraps. It was discovered that all bodies are burnt beyond recognition. We resorted to taking ashes from the troubled area for their burial,” he said.

“Since the accident, the surviving brother has been engaging stakeholders for possible evacuation of the collapsed extension area which blocked and trapped the victims in the building. But all efforts yielded no result as Lagos State Govt had claimed no casualty recorded.”

He alleged that the government and emergency agencies failed to conduct proper evacuation, insisting that workers on site had neither “a sense of urgency” nor adequate equipment to clear debris from the collapsed extension, which had blocked exit routes.

He said, “I left Abuja for Lagos and resumed at the accident site on Sunday, December 28, 2025.

“All engagements for possible rescue continued but the workers on site seemed not to be working with any sense of emergency, no adequate equipment to evacuate debris until we sought the help of scavengers who told us they have been accessing the place unofficially for purchase of iron scraps.”

“For days, nobody helped us. We kept begging officials, but they moved like there was no emergency. Lagos State keeps saying no casualty was recorded, but how can they say that when we carried ashes of our own relatives?” he asked.

Several traders at the market also alleged that although fire service officials arrived early, firefighting efforts were delayed due to what they described as “negotiations,” giving the fire time to spread.

He also alleged that multiple victims remain unaccounted for, claiming that while “official figures” deny casualties, unofficial counts including those removed by excavator suggest “no fewer than 50 people” may have been trapped or killed.

“Victims trapped and burnt beyond recognition as gathered from the site counts no fewer than 50 persons. Those trapped by debris and were removed by excavator for the period I was on the site are about 15 different, which is different from those trapped in the GNI house,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has ordered residents and businesses around the burnt Great Nigeria Insurance building to leave the area immediately.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, the government said it was enforcing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s directive that residents and businesses around the affected building “should leave immediately.”

The statement said the government “sent in experts who evaluated the site of the fire and warned strongly against the inherent danger to lives and property of residents and businesses within 100 meters radius of the site.”

“Several buildings around the scene of fire are compromised and must be evacuated,” the statement said.

It also warned shop owners against breaching safety measures at the scene, saying: “Shop owners are breaking into the no movement barrier zone created at the perimeter of the scene of fire. This is dangerous and must stop.”