The remains of three brothers who died in the fire incident at the Great Nigeria Insurance House (GNI) on Lagos Island, Lagos State, have been buried in Ihiala, Anambra State.
The brothers, Steve Omatu, 40; Casmir Omatu, 39 and Collins Omatu, 37, were buried on Wednesday in Uzoakwa Community, Ihiala Local Government Area.
They died on December 24, 2025, after they were trapped in the building during the fire outbreak.
The fire started on the fourth floor of the 25-storey plaza, spread to the sixth floor and later extended to other parts of the building and adjoining structures.
A section of the building collapsed during the incident, trapping traders and market assistants inside.
The three brothers were said to have been doing business in the building at the time of the fire.
A fourth brother, Camillus Omatu, who is a twin to one of the deceased, reportedly escaped the fire.
Prior to the burial, a service of songs and a requiem mass were held in Lagos State. Family members and sympathisers later travelled to Anambra State for the burial.
In a social media post, a family member, Mimi Nonyerem, had earlier announced the burial arrangements and requested prayers for the family.
Apart from the Omatu brothers, two other siblings, Chuwuebuka Omeigbo and Chukwudubem Omeigbo, were also reported to have died in the incident. They were said to have rushed to the market to evacuate their goods but were trapped when part of the building collapsed.
At least eight people were confirmed dead in the fire at the Great Nigeria Insurance House.
