At least 10 staff of FIRS, United Capital die inside Afriland Tower fire for Lagos Island

Ten staff members of di Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) plus di United Capital Plc die for inside one deadly fire incident wey hapun for Afriland Towers on Broad Street, for Lagos, Nigeria biggest commercial city on Tuesday, 16 September.

FIRS and United Capital confam di deaths for inside separate statement dem release on dia official X accounts.

While FIRS lost four of dia staff members, UCP, on di oda hand say dem lose six staff members to di fire.

Nigeria President Bola Tinubu don condole wit di families of those wey lose dia lives.

For statement wey one tok-tok pesin to di president, Bayo Onanuga sign, e say; "President Tinubu extend im condolences to di management and staff of Afriland Properties Limited, di FIRS, di United Capital, UBA, and particularly those wey lose loved ones for di inferno, and those wey injure wey currently dey receive medical attention."

E also advise for more caution, training, and alertness to avert such emergencies for di future.

Who be di victims

FIRS for statement confam say four of dia staff die. But di statement no identify who dem be.

However, Channels Television report bin quote di Special Adviser on Media to di FIRS Chairman, Dare Adekanmbi for one statement wey e issue and name di victims as:

.Mrs Ekelikhostse George (Assistant Director)

.Mr David Sunday-Jatto (Assistant Director)

.Mrs Nkem Onyemelukwe (Senior Manager)

.

.Mr Peter Ifaranmaye (Manager)

Di FIRS statement tok say dem occupy di sixth and seventh floor of di Afriland Towers building, wia dia Medium Tax Audit plus di Onikan Emerging Tax Office dey located.

According to di statement, di management say dem alert dia Security and Safety officials wey quickly contact di fire service, but di smoke bin don already engulf di building.

Dem say dem also dey torchlight di root cause of di fire.

"We dey work in collaboration wit all relevant agencies for Lagos to get to di root cause of di unfortunate incident. While dis dey go on, we go review safety measures across FIRS offices for both rented and owned buildings nationwide," di statement tok.

FIRS say dia management and staff dey in deep shock and don reach out to di families of di deceased, as dem promise to provide all necessary support.

For statement, UCP, also mourn dia departed staff members. Dem describe di victims as "an integral part" of "our company and family".

"Dia painful loss leave immeasurable void," di statement add.

Di management say dem dey make preparation for appropriate burial to honour dia lives and mark dia passing wit dignity and solemnity.

How di fire take start

Di Federal Fire Service (FFS) tok say initial reports suggest say di fire start from one inverter room for di building.

FFS tok-tok pesin P.O. Abraham for statement say di Controller General of di Federation Samuel Adeyemi Olumode don direct immediate deployment of a Federal Fire Service investigation team to establish di direct and remote causes of di incident, including di state of safety systems, maintenance practices and compliance wit fire safety regulations.

Di statement add say dem go make di findings of di investigation public and dem go implement all recommendations without delay.

Afriland Properties Plc, di management of di building wey di fire incident occur also say dem don begin investigation into di outbreak, and initial reports show say di fire start from di inverter room.

Dem say di smoke spread quickly through di building, wey include di emergency exits.

Di organisation wey give dis informate for statement say dem dey work closely wit relevant authorities and go continue to provide timely update as verified information become available.

Tony Elumelu, Govnor Sanwo-Olu react and odas to di outbreak

Tony Elumelu, Chairperson of di UBA Group, Tony O. Elumelu, don express deep grief ova di loss of colleagues for di fire outbreak for Afriland Towers, e describe di past few hours as "tough."

For post on im official X account, Oga Elumelu say, "We plus odas lost colleagues for di fire for Afriland Towers. As a community, we dey grieve for all and we dey do wetin we fit to support dia families and loved ones."

Elumelu also address one initial statement wey UBA Group communications team, bin issue wen di incident bin freshly occur. E say dem "put am out in haste, without understanding di full gravity of wetin happun."

"Di statement no show how we dey deeply saddened," e tok.

E add say di Group pause today to reflect and remember all wey pass. "Dem dey irreplaceable and go remain for our memories always."

UBA Group for one initial statement wey dem don delete now bin tok say, "we dey aware of di fire incident for one building on Broad Street, Lagos Island, wey house one of our many branches.

"As against reports online and on social media, di affected building no be UBA house, Marina, di Bank head office. We don ensure di safety and well-being of our staff and customers for di branch," di statement tok.

Lagos state govnor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu describe di fire outbreak as unfortunate, e say im dey shocked by di ugly incident wey claim di lives of pipo and destroy properties.

E tok sorry to di immediate families, organisations and Lagosians wey lost dia loved ones and goods for di fire.

"Di fire incident for Afriland Towers for Broad Street dey worrisome and na significant loss to Lagos State Government, di Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), United Capital PLC plus oda companies and individuals, wit property worth millions of Naira destroyed." Special Adviser to di govnor on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile tok for statement.

Federal Fire Service Controller General Samuel Olumode wey express deep sorrow ova di loss of lives for di fire outbreak, tok say di Service go roll out nationwide Task Force on Fire Safety Compliance to audit public and private buildings, enforce safety standards, sanction non-compliance, train facility managers and staff, and strengthen collaboration with regulatory agencies.

E advise all facility owners, managers, corporate bodies, banks and public agencies to immediately review dia fire safety readiness, ensure say inverter and generator rooms dey secure, exit pathways unblocked, fire alarms functional and staff trained.

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— Federal Inland Revenue Service NG (@FIRSNigeria) September 17, 2025

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— United Capital Plc (@UnitedCap) September 18, 2025

The past few hours have been tough.

We and others lost colleagues in the fire at Afriland Towers.

As a community, we are grieving for all and doing what we can to support their families and loved ones.

— Tony O. Elumelu, CFR (@TonyOElumelu) September 17, 2025