Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has described the death of three siblings in the Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) building fire in Lagos as a national tragedy, calling for urgent reforms to Nigeria’s emergency response system.
Obi, speaking on Thursday via his X handle, said he attended the burial of the victims, Stephen Onyeka Omatu, Casmir Nnabuike Omatu and Collins Kenechukwu Omatu, and described the occasion as deeply emotional and heartbreaking.
The three brothers lost their lives after they were trapped in the burning GNI building in Lagos. Obi lamented that the victims reportedly made repeated distress calls for help while stuck in the building, but no emergency services came to their rescue.
“It is almost impossible to describe the depth of this tragedy,” Obi said, noting that several days passed before their bodies were recovered from the rubble.
He described the incident as a clear failure of the system at a critical moment, stressing that the loss goes beyond the family involved.
“This is not just a personal loss for their family; it is a national loss,” he said.
Obi warned that Nigeria cannot continue to operate without functional and accessible emergency services, adding that every Nigerian life matters and no citizen should be abandoned in moments of distress when help could be provided.
The former Anambra State governor prayed for the eternal rest of the deceased and asked God to grant their family the strength to bear the loss.
He also urged authorities to take decisive steps to prevent a recurrence, saying the tragedy should serve as a wake-up call to ensure that no Nigerian is ever left to perish due to neglect again.