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Lagos fire: Emergency workers fight blaze as govt threatens to pull down illegal structures
Emergency workers continued operations at Mandilas yesterday, following the raging fire outbreak on Balogun, Lagos Island.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
Although the blaze had been largely extinguished, flames were still visible in some of the affected buildings.
The fire, which started at Emab Plaza, a four-storey building located behind Mandilas, was first reported around 8:00 p.m. It began on the fourth floor before spreading rapidly to nearby structures, ultimately consuming four buildings: two four-storey buildings, one three-storey building, and one two-storey building.
When The Guardian visited the scene, it observed that shops attached to the main buildings in the market had been marked for demolition by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA).
During the operation, a man approached emergency workers, claiming that his brother was still inside one of the buildings, although this could not be verified.
A shoe trader, Caroline Alabi, recounted: “The fire started about 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday and I have a shop in Obama Plaza. I was severely affected. I could not remove any of my goods because I live in Sangotedo and only arrived around 10:00 a.m. the following day.
“After the Mandilas Warehouse burnt down in 2024, progress was made on installing a fire hydrant system in the market, but the project was never completed. When I arrived, I met the fire service on the ground and I can say they tried their best, but the equipment was inadequate.
“The government is inconsiderate in the kind of resources it provides for tackling such fires. Now the government is proposing new taxes on business owners from 2026, and I hope this will at least bring us better protection.
“No one here is insured, including myself, because I don’t think any insurance company would agree to cover a market like this.”
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Office of Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki, who visited the scene, criticised building owners and threatened to demolish structures with illegal extensions.
He warned: “If you attach an extension to your building and its removal affects the structure, the entire building will be pulled down. Tell those from whom you have collected money and who are using those extensions to vacate immediately. You have until Friday (today). By Friday evening, I will return to start demolishing. You cannot continue to cause inconvenience in Lagos State.
“Remove your goods because there will be no stopping once we begin demolition. Any building obstructing the tractors will also be pulled down. You cannot keep wasting taxpayers’ money.”
Meanwhile, the number of casualties in the Afriland Tower fire has risen to 10 following the confirmation by United Capital Plc of the death of six members of its staff.
The announcement came after the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) earlier confirmed the loss of four of its staff in the inferno.
In a statement, United Capital said: “It is with profound grief that the Management and Staff of United Capital Plc announce the passing of six of our dear colleagues following the tragic fire at Afriland Towers on Tuesday, September 16, 2025.
“Our departed colleagues were an integral part of our company and family. Their painful loss leaves an immeasurable void. We extend our deepest and heartfelt condolences to their families, friends, and loved ones. We continue to hold them in our thoughts and prayers while providing all the support we can during this most difficult time.
“We are making preparations for an appropriate memorial service to honour their lives and mark their passing with dignity and solemnity.
“We thank the emergency services and all those who responded for their valiant assistance at the time of the incident.
“In this moment of untold grief, we stand together in solidarity, drawing strength from one another as we navigate this period. May the souls of the departed rest in peace.”
Also, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) yesterday described the deaths recorded in the Lagos fire outbreak as avoidable, blaming the tragedy on the absence of basic safety infrastructure such as fire hydrants, extinguishers and emergency exits.
The group also condemned what it termed the delayed arrival of first responders, which it said worsened the fatalities.
HURIWA urged the families of the deceased to institute legal action against the owners of the housing complex, as well as the Lagos State and federal governments, and seek not less than N1 billion each in compensation for what it called “criminal negligence.”
In a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA insisted that government bore a constitutional duty to prevent fire disasters or at least minimise their impact by enforcing safety codes for high-rise buildings.
“It is the legal duty of government to prevent such avoidable tragedies,” Onwubiko said, wondering why corporate and public institutions alike failed to notice that the complex housing their offices lacked basic fire-fighting facilities.
The group maintained that bereaved families should seek damages from employers and government authorities for contributing to the “untimely deaths” through failure to provide emergency exits and fire equipment.
Additionally, the Federal Fire Service (FFS) yesterday ordered an investigation into Tuesday’s fire at Afriland Tower, Broad Street, Lagos Island, which claimed the lives of 10 employees of companies housed in the building.
Controller General of the Service, Samuel Adeyemi Olumode, in a statement, commiserated with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the United Bank for Africa (UBA), as well as families and friends of those who lost their lives in the inferno.
“Following initial reports indicating that the fire originated from the inverter room of the building, the CGF has directed the immediate deployment of a Federal Fire Service investigation team to establish the direct and remote causes of the incident, including the state of safety systems, maintenance practices and compliance with fire safety regulations,” the statement said.
Olumode assured that the findings would be made public and recommendations implemented without delay.
He announced plans to roll out a nationwide Task Force on Fire Safety Compliance to audit buildings, enforce standards, sanction offenders, train facility managers and strengthen collaboration with regulators.
He urged corporate bodies and agencies to review their fire readiness and commended Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo for backing reforms under the Federal Fire and Rescue Act.
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The Oyo State Police Command has announced an operational success recorded following an intelligence-led operation.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Command intercepted a truck conveying materials suspected to be explosive devices during a stop-and-search operation in Saki, Oyo State. The truck and the suspected materials were promptly secured and are currently in police custody.
Upon receiving a briefing on the development, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Femi Haruna, immediately ordered a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
Consequently, specialised personnel of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit and the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Unit were deployed to safely secure the items for safekeeping and forensic examination. Detailed forensic analysis has since commenced, alongside a thorough and robust investigation to determine the exact nature of the items and their intended use.
The truck driver has been taken into custody and is cooperating fully with investigators as efforts continue to unravel all the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Commissioner of Police commended the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, for his unwavering support, strategic leadership, and continued provision of operational guidance that enhance proactive, intelligence-driven policing across the country.
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One person has died and another sustained injuries following an assault by suspected armed bandits in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
According to sources, the attack took place on January 24 around 4:00 p.m. along the Amoke–Odugbo road in Ukpogo Village, Edikwu Ward.
The victims, identified as Mr Joseph Okoh and Miss Aneh Sunday, both from Ogodumo, Adoka in Otukpo LGA, were reportedly riding a motorcycle when the assailants struck.
“They were rushed to the Comprehensive Health Centre, Ugbokpo, where Mr Okoh was confirmed dead while receiving treatment. Miss Sunday is currently admitted and responding to treatment,” the source stated.
Nigerian troops were quickly deployed to the area, and a search operation in the surrounding bushes is ongoing to apprehend the attackers.
“The Criminal Investigation Department has commenced an investigation into the incident,” the source added.
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Art & Commercial students don’t fail JAMB because they’re dull. They fail because they’re taught like Science students. Science students calculate — JAMB rewards that. Art students explain — JAMB doesn’t. So you read hard, attend lessons, yet your score disappoints you. This online class fixes that. No theory overload. No confusion. Just real JAMB questions, clear breakdowns, and winning strategies. 📌 JAMB is not hard — you were just taught the wrong way.Click The Link To Reach Us Now 👉 https://wa.me/2349063958940
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has scrapped special concessions and registration procedures previously granted to candidates with albinism for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, citing abuse of the privilege to perpetrate examination malpractice.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
The Board also warned faith-based tertiary institutions to clearly declare their religious status at the point of admission, saying it is deceptive to present as secular and later impose religious rules on students.
As reported by Vanguard, these decisions were taken on Saturday at a meeting between JAMB management, led by its Registrar, Prof. Isaq Oloyede, and Commissioners for Education from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, held in Ikeja, Lagos.
Oloyede said the meeting was convened to review and assess previous admission exercises.
He noted that despite safeguards introduced by the Board, some individuals remained determined to circumvent the system.
“We have stopped some concessions we gave albino candidates. This is because some are using artificial intelligence to manipulate the registration process to look like they are albinos because of the consideration we gave them.
“Last year alone, over 7,000 claimed to be albinos. We have stopped special registration procedures for albinos,” he said.
Addressing complaints from candidates admitted into some private institutions over compulsory religious instruction, Oloyede urged faith-based schools to be transparent.
“Faith-based institutions should declare from the onset what they are, so that whoever applies there will know what he is going to meet there. But some don’t do that. They will pretend to be secular, but once students are admitted, trouble will begin over religious instruction and injunctions.
“If you are a faith-based institution, say so. The law allows you to set up faith-based schools,” he said.
On last year’s UTME, where the highest-scoring candidate was later found to be a 300-level university student, the JAMB registrar said investigations showed that some undergraduates sit for the examination to change courses or assist others to secure admission.
“Students who are already in school but want to change courses and are applying again must declare and disclose their status.
“We have found that some candidates already in school are writing the examination for other candidates. Last year, the candidate who scored the highest was found to be a 300-level student in the university.
“Henceforth, any candidate found engaging in such an act, and who fails to disclose that he is already in school but wants to change course, will be disqualified and will also lose his current admission,” he said.
On admission criteria, Oloyede explained that federal government-owned institutions allocate 45 per cent on merit, 20 per cent on catchment area, 20 per cent to educationally disadvantaged states, while the remaining slots are allocated to other considerations.
“Each owner or state has the right to decide what its admission criteria will be. But for states, we encourage them to allocate at least 10 per cent to merit, regardless of where the candidates come from.
“This is to diversify the student population and admit eggheads from different communities,” he said.
He criticised some states for establishing new universities despite not fully utilising their admission quotas in existing federal institutions.
On underage candidates, Oloyede said 16 years remained the minimum admission age, noting that an attestation process was in place for exceptional cases.
“Last year, about 42,000 claimed to be underage. After evaluation, only 78 met the criteria and were admitted. We are not saying there are no talented candidates, but the figure looks outlandish,” he said.
The issue of how to engage underage candidates during a gap year divided opinions at the meeting, but a majority voted for JAMB to continue its special assessment process.
The meeting also observed that parental pressure on children to complete their education too quickly was a major contributor to the problem.
On efforts to curb examination malpractice, Oloyede said JAMB had stopped the movement of computers between Computer-Based Test centres.
“A computer registered in a particular centre will remain there and is not transferable to another centre. Some people borrow computers to get accredited and later move them around,” he said.
He dismissed claims that candidates were posted to towns they did not choose, saying personal data used for registration were drawn directly from the National Identification Number submitted by candidates.
Providing an update on the 2025 UTME, Oloyede said 974,855 candidates had so far been admitted out of about 1.95 million who sat for the examination.
He added that over N2.4 billion had been disbursed to institutions that consistently complied with JAMB’s rules over the past 10 years, and that the meeting agreed that schools producing the best candidates should be compensated.
On accreditation of CBT centres, Oloyede said the process involved teams comprising university vice-chancellors, rectors and provosts in each state.
He warned state governments against agreements with private promoters who might use centres to facilitate malpractice.
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Art & Commercial students don’t fail JAMB because they’re dull. They fail because they’re taught like Science students. Science students calculate — JAMB rewards that. Art students explain — JAMB doesn’t. So you read hard, attend lessons, yet your score disappoints you. This online class fixes that. No theory overload. No confusion. Just real JAMB questions, clear breakdowns, and winning strategies. 📌 JAMB is not hard — you were just taught the wrong way.Click The Link To Reach Us Now 👉 https://wa.me/2349063958940
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