The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has pledged lifelong support to the families of its four staff members, who lost their lives in the recent Afriland Towers fire on Lagos Island.
The deceased, George Faith Ekelikhotse, 57, Assistant Director; David Oluwafemi Sunday-Jatto, 51, Deputy Director; Onyemelukwe Nkem Agnes, 54, Senior Manager; and Ifaranmaye Peter, 48, Deputy Manager, were honoured at a solemn memorial service in Lagos on Thursday. Their families gave moving tributes that described them as remarkable individuals whose lives were defined by humility, integrity, and service.
Speaking at the ceremony, FIRS Executive Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, assured the grieving families that the service would provide comprehensive welfare support, including a trust fund, guaranteed job opportunities, and full educational sponsorship for the children of the deceased.
Adedeji said, “In FIRS, we do not see ourselves as an institution; we are family. And in every family, when one is lost, we all feel the emptiness.
“To the families, I say this: we believe in you, we stand with you, and we will continue to walk with you. Please, be confident that you are not alone.
“This tragedy has shaken all of us, but it also reminds us of the truth, that when we are lost together, we can walk in the middle of the mirror whose lives are touched by ourselves. Our matriarchal colleagues lived lives of service.”
He told the families, “We stand with you. And we will continue to walk with you. Please be confident in knowing that you are not alone.
“I personally pledge that this institution will be a pillar of support for you during these difficult times. Also, I know one of my colleagues has two students, some abroad and some here. So, also, I have directed and committed trust funds specifically to you.”
Colleagues and relatives praised the fallen staff as “quiet achievers” who embodied duty without seeking personal glory. From the tributes, it was clear they left not just years of service, but also enduring examples of compassion, dedication, and resilience.
The memorial also featured testimonies from survivors of the September 16 inferno. Deputy Manager of Tax at the Lagos Island office, Nasiru Usman, who narrowly escaped the blaze, recounted how thick smoke trapped many between floors, when the fire suspected to have started in the inverter room erupted.
Usman said, “To the glory of God, many of us survived, but sadly four of our colleagues did not make it.”
He urged government agencies to strengthen their emergency response capacity and enforce stricter safety compliance in congested commercial areas, like Balogun Market.
“If there had been prompt action by the fire service, despite the human traffic in the area, something could have been done faster,” he lamented.
Nume Ekeghe
Follow us on:
