NLC Blames Negligence And Corruption For UBA Fire Lagos Island Infernos

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has held government negligence and corporate recklessness responsible for recent fire disasters on Lagos Island, including the blaze at the UBA Afriland building that claimed at least six lives.

In a statement signed by Acting President Adewale Adeyanju, the congress said the tragedies were products of systemic rot, weak enforcement of safety standards, and collapse of emergency services. It described the fires as avoidable disasters driven by corruption, inefficiency, and disregard for human dignity.

The labour body expressed grief over the UBA incident, where workers and customers were forced to jump from upper floors to escape, as well as another inferno that destroyed shops and warehouses, causing losses running into billions of naira.

NLC accused corporate institutions of sacrificing workplace safety for profit and faulted government agencies for budgeting billions annually for emergency response without functional hydrants, equipment, or timely interventions.

It demanded an independent investigation into the UBA fire and Lagos Island infernos, with public disclosure of findings, accountability for negligence, and adequate compensation for victims. The congress also urged urgent strengthening of fire and emergency services nationwide and strict enforcement of safety standards.

Adeyanju called for a shift from “profit-over-people governance” to a human-centred model that prioritises citizens’ safety and dignity. He further urged NEMA to go beyond issuing flood alerts by evacuating at-risk communities and resettling them, while long-term solutions are found to prevent disasters such as flooding from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam.

“The blood of the workers who are victims cries out for justice. The ashes of burnt buildings are testimonies of state failure,” the NLC stated, urging Nigerians not to normalise preventable tragedies but to demand functional institutions and accountability.