By Nkechi Eze
The Director of Search and Rescue of the National Emergency Management Agency, Air Commodore Usman Bature, on Tuesday led a team of emergency responders drawn from key stakeholder agencies on a rapid site assessment of the Great Niger House building at Marina, Lagos Island, which was recently gutted by a major fire outbreak.
The assessment, conducted amid ongoing rescue operations, was aimed at evaluating the structural integrity of the severely affected building, ensuring the safety of responders on ground and determining the level of technical support required to sustain and enhance search and rescue activities at the scene.
In an official statement signed by the Head of the Press Unit of NEMA, Manzo Ezekiel, it was disclosed that rescue operations are still in progress, with the NEMA South West Zonal Director also present in Lagos to reinforce the efforts of the Head of the Lagos Operations Office in coordinating the multi-agency response. The statement noted that the combined leadership presence was intended to ensure effective command, control and seamless collaboration among all responders.
Air Commodore Bature explained that the rapid assessment became necessary due to the extensive structural damage inflicted on the building and the large volume of debris scattered across the site, which pose significant risks to rescue personnel. According to him, the evaluation would guide decisions on additional technical capabilities and specialised equipment required to safely continue operations.
He commended the Lagos State Government and all responding agencies for their swift intervention and professionalism, stressing that the magnitude of the incident remained enormous and demanded sustained, coordinated mobilisation of resources by government institutions as well as relevant private organisations. He also urged members of the public to rely on verified information from official sources and to refrain from spreading unconfirmed reports that could cause unnecessary panic or misinformation.
The joint site assessment brought together response teams from NEMA, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Federal Fire Service, the Nigeria Police Force, the Lagos State Building Control Agency, alongside representatives of the media and other stakeholders.
Meanwhile, NEMA confirmed that a response team from its Lagos Operations Office has been permanently stationed at the Great Niger House site to provide continuous support and strengthen the ongoing multi-agency rescue and recovery operation as efforts continue to manage the aftermath of the fire incident.
