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Two bodies recovered from Lagos fire scene
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Two male adults have been recovered dead from the rubble of the Great Nigeria Insurance House Plaza, which was gutted by fire in the Balogun Market area of Lagos Island, Lagos State.
It was reported on Wednesday that the fire started on the fourth floor and spread to the sixth floor of the 25-storey building before engulfing the remaining floors and adjoining structures.
A detached section of the plaza, however, collapsed during the inferno, trapping some traders.
An official of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, who spoke with our correspondent on Friday on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said the two corpses were recovered during ongoing search operations for the trapped victims.
“We recovered two bodies today. The first body was recovered at about 11:03am, while the second was found at about 12:03pm,” the official said.
A video obtained showed how the corpses were recovered and later placed in body bags.
Although the identities of the deceased victims had yet to be officially confirmed, a trader, Zacchaeus Afolayan, said one of them was a market assistant who was caught up in the incident.
“One of them was identified as one of the boys assisting traders in the market. He was helping traders to move out their goods when the building collapsed on him,” he said.
Fears, however, persisted that more traders might still be trapped beneath the collapsed section of the plaza.
Among those feared trapped is a China-based clothier, identified simply as Obum, and some other traders.
Afolayan had earlier told our correspondent on Thursday that Obum was evacuating his goods when the structure collapsed on him.
“Obum’s store is behind the plaza. He had already evacuated almost all his goods when the fire was spreading and went back to carry the last ones. That was when the detached part of the plaza, which had been weakened by the fire, collapsed on his store,” he said.
He added that Obum contacted him from beneath the rubble in the early hours of Thursday, confirming that he was still alive.
“He called me around 2am from under the rubble, and that was when we knew he was still alive. He said he was not the only one trapped there. He was begging us not to allow him die, saying no one would take care of his children. He is based in China and only comes home during festive periods to do business,” Afolayan said.
Afolayan, who also owns a shop in the market, said Obum, an indigene of Umuoji in Anambra State, called again on Thursday afternoon, sounding weaker.
Another trader, who identified himself simply as Charles, said two other traders were believed to be trapped beneath the collapsed structure.
“As I speak with you, two people have called from under the rubble. The relatives of one of them just arrived from Onitsha after he called to say he was trapped. Another man also said his brother called him, including one Obum,” he added.
Fire incidents have become a recurring decimal in Lagos Island markets, with goods worth millions of naira destroyed annually as a result.
A 46-year-old man posing as a medical doctor, who identified himself as Osazee Okungbowa, has been arrested by the Edo State Police Command.
Okungbowa was arrested after a woman he allegedly assisted during childbirth reported to the police that her baby was missing.
He was paraded alongside 44 other suspects, including alleged kidnappers, cultists, armed robbers, and murder suspects, by the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, on Friday.
Parading the suspects, Agbonika said they were arrested through intelligence-driven operations and coordinated tactical responses carried out across the state during the period under review.
Providing a breakdown of the arrests, the police commissioner said 15 suspected cultists, three suspected armed robbers, 11 murder suspects, and 14 suspects linked to rape and defilement cases were apprehended.
He said the command had intensified operations against kidnappers, cultists, armed robbers, and other violent criminals through enhanced intelligence-led policing.
According to him, the command’s determination to ensure that criminal elements have no hiding place in Edo State has been strengthened by sustained efforts that continue to yield significant operational successes.
He said: “The accomplishments we showcase today are the outcome of the commitment, professionalism, and selflessness of officers of the Edo State Police Command, working in close collaboration with other security agencies and with the patriotic support of the public.
“Within the period under review, a total of 45 suspects involved in violent crimes were arrested.
“These achievements underscore our unwavering resolve to rid Edo State of criminal elements and demonstrate that the command remains proactive, responsive, and relentless in confronting every form of violent crime.
“As we continue the fight against criminality, I sincerely thank the law-abiding citizens of Edo State for their continued cooperation and confidence in the police. The timely information, intelligence, and assistance we receive from members of the public remain crucial to our operational successes.”
Speaking on his arrest, Okungbowa said: “I am a clinic doctor and the manager of Grace Health Nursery and Maternity. The owner of the hospital is licensed and employs both qualified and unqualified staff.
“On that day, a man identified as Mr. Godwin brought a pregnant woman to the hospital and informed me that she was due for delivery. I was unwell at the time and told them I could not handle the delivery.
“I then called a colleague to assist at the facility. According to her, the woman agreed, and she delivered the baby the following day. After the delivery, the nurse said the baby was premature and should be taken to an incubator, but the baby later died.
“I was trained as an auxiliary nurse in 2003 and have worked in different hospitals as a health assistant.”
Kidnapped victims from Estako West Local Government Area of Edo State have narrated how they escaped from their abductors, stressing that they escaped after their abductors slept off.
Speaking on behalf of other victims at the Edo. State Police Command Headquarters during a parade of the suspects, Braimah Destiny said their abductors became tired after making them (victims) walk all night.
Braimah, who narrated that he was returning from the farm when he ran into six men armed with guns and cutlasses, disclosed that the kidnappers abducted 10 other persons and took them into the forest.
He narrated, “I was coming from the farm when I met six of them armed with guns and matchets. They also captured others making us 11 victims. They took us from one bush to another. It was around 6:00PM and we heard the police shooting. They made us walk throughout the night. We got to a place and they told us to hide. They were very tired and they slept off.
“That was how we helped ourselves and ran away. We ran to the police station and went to meet the police. The kidnappers beat us and maltreated us.”
Another victim, Gloria Inyanugbo, who identified her abductors said she spent four days at the kidnappers’ den before her husband paid N3m for her release.
“I was kidnapped on the 12th of January when I was working inside the farm. They asked how much I have in my account after taking me inside the bush. I spent four days. until my husband raised N3m and another N300,000 to buy hard drugs, food and other items.
“Community vigilante nabbed two of them inside the bush and the police arrested the other through tracking. I saw one of them that boasted that nobody can do him anything. I can’t imagine the police could.arrrest them.”
A woman identified as Nana Batula and her two children have regained their freedom after spending about one month in the custody of armed bandits in Zamfara State.
The victims were abducted on May 30, 2026, when suspected bandits reportedly attacked their family home in Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.
During the attack, the assailants allegedly killed Batula’s husband, Sagir Umar, before abducting his wife and their two children.
Security analyst Bakatsine confirmed the family’s release in a post shared on July 1, 2026.
A source close to the family also confirmed that the victims had returned safely, expressing gratitude for their release after weeks in captivity.
According to the source, Nana Batula and her children are currently receiving medical attention and psychological support following their ordeal.
Police have yet to issue an official statement on the circumstances surrounding their release.
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