(DDM) – The Federal Fire Service (FFS) has announced an unprecedented nationwide audit of public and private buildings following the September 16 inferno that gutted Afriland Tower on Broad Street, Lagos Island.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that Controller-General of the FFS, Samuel Adeyemi Olumode, revealed the audit plan on Thursday, describing it as a decisive step to prevent a repeat of such tragedies.
Olumode confirmed that a special investigation team has already been deployed to Lagos to probe the root causes of the blaze, evaluate the fire readiness of affected structures, and ensure compliance with safety standards.
According to him, the audit will not be limited to high-rise offices alone but will also extend to hotels, schools, hospitals, shopping complexes, factories, and residential estates nationwide.
The Controller-General stressed that the findings of the Lagos probe will be made public, with corrective measures enforced immediately to restore public confidence in urban safety.
He also urged facility owners to take proactive steps by reviewing their fire readiness, securing generator and inverter rooms, unblocking emergency exits, conducting routine drills, and ensuring all alarm systems are functional.
Olumode emphasized that fire prevention must be seen as a civic duty rather than an afterthought, noting that most Nigerian buildings are designed and constructed without adequate escape routes or firefighting systems.
The Afriland Tower fire, which shocked Lagos residents and the business community, claimed lives and destroyed vital offices, including spaces linked to major institutions such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and United Bank for Africa (UBA).
In a solemn gesture, Olumode commiserated with Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of FIRS, Tony Elumelu, Chairman of UBA, as well as management staff and bereaved families of the victims.
He prayed for the repose of the departed and comfort for their loved ones, describing the incident as a painful reminder of Nigeria’s urgent need for safety reforms.
The Controller-General also praised Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for backing the Federal Fire and Rescue Act, a new legal framework expected to entrench prevention, accountability, and enforcement in Nigeria’s fire safety culture.
Experts note that Nigeria has witnessed several high-profile fire disasters in the past decade, including the razing of Balogun Market in Lagos, hospital fires in Abuja, and recurrent fuel tanker explosions across the country.
Civil society groups have often criticized authorities for treating fire disasters as isolated events instead of systemic failures tied to poor planning, lack of equipment, and weak enforcement of building codes.
The planned nationwide audit marks the first time the FFS has committed to a proactive, rather than reactive, safety inspection of facilities nationwide.
For residents of Lagos Island, still traumatized by the Afriland Tower blaze, the audit offers a glimmer of hope that lessons will be learned, and that lives and properties will be better protected in the future.
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