News
Three Omatu Siblings Lost In GNI Tower Fire To Be Buried Jan 14
The family of three siblings who lost their lives in the devastating fire that ravaged the 25-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House on Martins Street, Lagos Island, on December 24, 2025, has announced their burial arrangements.
The siblings, Stephen (40), Casmir (39), and Collins (37), were trapped and burnt beyond recognition when the 25-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House on Lagos Island caught fire.
The family, in a poster shared on social media and signed by Rev. Fr. William Omatu for the Family, expressed their regret over the loss of their loved ones and announced that a Parish Service and Songs and Requiem Mass would be held on January 7, 2026, at Jesus the Saviour Catholic Church, Ken Nlemedim Street, Bucknor Ejigbi, Lagos.
The burial mass and interment are scheduled to take place on January 14, 2026, at Nze Omatu Ikuamaeze Compound, Umumgboma, Umarugwy, Uzoakwa, Ihiala LGA, Anambra State.
The fire, which broke out on the fourth floor of the building, spread rapidly, trapping occupants, including traders, and causing part of the structure to collapse.
Emergency officials have cited poor storage practices, highly combustible materials, and structural design issues as factors that intensified the incident.
The incident has sparked outrage and allegations of negligence, with relatives of the victims claiming that the Lagos State Government and emergency agencies failed to conduct proper evacuation efforts, leading to unnecessary loss of life.
A brother to the three siblings, Camillus Ugochukwu Omatu had told the media that workers on site had no sense of urgency and adequate equipment to clear debris from the collapsed extension, which had blocked exit routes.
“After days of search for the victims, we accessed the building through the assistance of scavengers who are allegedly around to buy irons scraps. It was discovered that all bodies are burnt beyond recognition. We resorted to taking ashes from the troubled area for their burial.
“Since the accident, the surviving brother has been engaging stakeholders for possible evacuation of the collapsed extension area which blocked and trapped the victims in the building. But all efforts yielded no result as Lagos State Govt had claimed no casualty recorded.
“I left Abuja for Lagos and resumed at the accident site on Sunday, December 28, 2025.
“All engagements for possible rescue continued but the workers on site seemed not to be working with any sense of emergency, no adequate equipment to evacuate debris until we sought the help of scavengers who told us they have been accessing the place unofficially for purchase of iron scraps.
“For days, nobody helped us. We kept begging officials, but they moved like there was no emergency. Lagos State keeps saying no casualty was recorded, but how can they say that when we carried ashes of our own relatives?” he had told the media.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) however stated that many of the traders who became trapped in the building were those who ignored warnings and were more intent on recovering their goods.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service had confirmed eight deaths from the fire with three burnt behind recognition while thirteen traders trapped in the rubbles were rescued alive.
The incident has left a trail of destruction and grief in the community, with many families still searching for their loved ones, as the Lagos State Government promised to investigate the cause of the fire and take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
News
Panic In Ibadan As Rising Kidnap, Robbery Threats Trigger Official Red Alert
Residents of Ibadan, specifically in Bodija, Agbowo, Akobo, and the Agodi GRA, are currently on high alert after the Police and the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) issued an urgent warning regarding a recent surge in kidnappings and armed robberies in those areas.
According to the DAILY POST, the Bodija Housing Estate Police Division and its community partners have formally expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the area.
In a statement signed by Bodija Housing Estate Police Division PCRC and Community Policing Unit of the division, they noted that there is an increase in the rate of kidnapping and armed robberies in areas such as Akobo and Bodija.
The statement urged residents to take necessary safety measures amidst rising cases of kidnapping and other criminal activities in areas such as Akobo and Bodija.
In the statement tagged “Urgent Safety Measures Amid Rising Kidnapping and Armed Robbery Incidents in Areas Including Akobo and Bodija” the residents were alerted that the desire for quick wealth has driven some individuals to commit terrible acts.
Part of the statement reads, “In light of the recent increase in criminal activities such as kidnapping and armed robbery across our communities, it has become imperative to issue updated safety guidelines. The desire for quick wealth has driven some individuals to commit terrible acts, and we must all be vigilant.
“Please adhere strictly to the following precautions, and also note the additional measures outlined below:
“Remember: Your safety and that of your loved ones depend greatly on your level of awareness and willingness to take precautionary steps. Security is a collective responsibility.
“Report emergencies promptly to: Oyo State Police Command: control room:08081768614, 08081768574
Bodija Division: DPO +2348052046348; PCRC Helpline/ Chairman – 07068874553”.
JomogNews reports that some residents have been in a panic mood as a result of the notice.
A resident of Bodija Housing Estate, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, explained that the recent happenings necessitated the notice.
“The recent happenings necessitated the move. Yes we have to be careful. People now think twice before they go out. We are more security conscious than before,” he said.
News
Rivers Assembly Formally Serves Impeachment Notice To Gov. Fubara
The Rivers State House of Assembly has formally served an impeachment notice to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu.
The move marks the third major attempt to remove the governor since 2023, following his return to office in September 2025 after a six-month state of emergency.
Recall that the assembly on Thursday during an emergency plenary, commenced the impeachment of the governor and his deputy.
26 members of the House accused the governor of misconduct, capable of undermining democracy in the state.
The notice which was addressed to the governor, contained the signature of at least 19 lawmakers.
The notice also contained about 8 alleged gross misconducts by the governor and his administration.
In a post on its official Facebook page,the assembly said, “The impeachment notice has been successfully served on the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara”.

News
NCC, CBN Set To Roll Out Refund Framework For Failed Airtime And Data Transactions
In line with the consumer-focused objectives of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the two regulators have drawn up a framework to address consumer complaints arising from unsuccessful airtime and data transactions during network downtimes, system glitches, or human input errors.
The framework is the outcome of several months of engagements involving the NCC, the CBN, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Value Added Service (VAS) providers, Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), and other relevant stakeholders. These engagements were prompted by a rising incidence of failed airtime and data purchases, where subscribers were debited without receiving value and experienced delays in resolution.
The Framework represents a unified position by both the telecommunications and financial sectors on addressing such complaints. It identifies and tackles the root causes of failed airtime and data transactions, including instances where bank accounts are debited without successful delivery of services. It also prescribes an enforceable Service Level Agreement (SLA) for MNOs and DMBs, clearly outlining the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder in the transaction and resolution process.
Under the new framework, where a purchaser is debited but fails to receive value for airtime or data—whether the failure occurs at the bank level or with an NCC licensee—the purchaser is entitled to a refund within 30 seconds, except in circumstances where the transaction remains pending, of which the refund can take up to 24 hours.
The framework further mandates operators to notify consumers via SMS of the success or failure of every transaction. It also addresses erroneous recharges to ported lines, incorrect airtime or data purchases, and instances where transactions are made to the wrong phone number.
Speaking on the development, the Director of Consumer Affairs at the NCC, Mrs. Freda Bruce-Bennett disclosed that the framework also establishes a Central Monitoring Dashboard to be jointly hosted by the NCC and the CBN. According to her, the dashboard will enable both regulators to monitor failures, the responsible party, refunds, and track SLA breaches in real time.
“Failed top-ups rank among the top three consumer complaints, and in line with our commitment to addressing these priority issues, we were determined to resolve it within the shortest possible time,” she said.
“We are grateful to all stakeholders—particularly the Central Bank of Nigeria and its leadership—for their tireless commitment to resolving this issue and arriving at this framework, and for ensuring that consumers of telecommunications services receive full value for their purchases.
“So far, pending the approval of management of both regulators on the framework, MNOs and banks have collectively made refunds of over N10 billion to customers for failed transactions.”
Mrs. Bruce-Bennett further noted that implementation of the framework is expected to commence on March 1, 2026, once the two regulators have made final approvals, and technical integration by all MNOs, VAS providers and DMBs is concluded.
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