Following a fire incident that gutted the Great Niger House building at Marina, Lagos Island, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has led a multi-agency rapid site assessment at the scene.
In a statement issued on Thursday, by NEMA’s Head of Press Unit, Manzo Ezekiel, the agency said its Director of Search and Rescue, Usman Bature, led responders from various stakeholder agencies to assess the level of damage and support ongoing rescue operations.
Rescue activities are still ongoing at the site, with the NEMA South-West Zonal Director also in Lagos alongside the Director of Search and Rescue to strengthen coordination by the Head of the Lagos Operations Office.
Bature said the assessment became necessary to ensure the safety of responders working at the scene due to extensive structural damage and debris around the building, as well as to determine the level of technical support required.
He commended the Lagos State Government and all responding agencies for their swift intervention and professionalism, noting that the scale of the incident requires sustained joint mobilisation of resources by government institutions and relevant private organisations.
The NEMA official urged members of the public to rely on verified information and avoid spreading unconfirmed reports about the incident.
Agencies involved in the joint assessment include NEMA, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Federal Fire Service, the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Building Control Agency, and representatives of the media.
Meanwhile, NEMA said a response team from its Lagos Operations Office has been permanently stationed at the scene to support the ongoing multi-agency operation.
