Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, on Wednesday attended the burial of three siblings—Stephen Onyeka Omatu, Casmir Nnabuike Omatu, and Collins Kenechukwu Omatu—whose lives were lost in the tragic fire incident at the Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) building in Lagos.
Describing the ceremony as deeply emotional and heartbreaking, Obi lamented the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the three young brothers, noting that the tragedy exposed serious gaps in Nigeria’s emergency response system. He recalled that the victims reportedly sent distress messages for help while trapped in the building, but no emergency services arrived in time to rescue them.
According to him, several days passed before their bodies were recovered from the rubble, a situation he described as a painful reminder of systemic failure at a moment when help was most urgently needed.
“This is not just a personal loss for the Omatu family; it is a national loss,” Obi said. “It underscores the urgent need to strengthen and make accessible our emergency services. We cannot continue like this. Every life matters.”
He stressed that no Nigerian should be left to perish due to neglect or institutional failure, adding that the country must take deliberate steps to ensure that similar tragedies are prevented in the future.
Obi offered prayers for the repose of the souls of the departed brothers and asked God to grant their family the strength and comfort to bear the loss. He urged Nigerians and relevant authorities to honour their memory by committing to reforms that would save lives.
“May we never forget them,” he said, “and may this tragedy move us to ensure it never happens again.”
