Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and Afriland Properties Plc, Tony Elumelu, has expressed deep sorrow over the fire outbreak at Afriland Towers in Victoria Island, Lagos, which claimed the lives of some members of staff on Tuesday.
In a personally signed statement addressed to staff, Elumelu described the incident as devastating and announced that he was cutting short his trip to the United States, where he was scheduled to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
“No word can capture the magnitude of this loss – not for their families who loved them, not for the friends who valued them, and not for those of us who worked beside them,” Elumelu said.
“Yesterday was a stark reminder of what truly matters: our irreplaceable people, those who walk through our doors each day and share our mission. I learnt of this on my way to the US, en route to New York for UNGA. I have cut short my trip to return to Lagos as a mark of respect to our lost colleagues.”
LEADERSHIP reports that Afriland Properties Plc confirmed in a press release that an immediate investigation into the cause of the fire at the six-storey tower on Broad Street, Lagos Island, has commenced. However, the company did not disclose the exact number of casualties. The tower houses several subsidiaries of Heirs Holdings, including Afriland Properties Plc, a branch of UBA Plc and other non-related business interests.
Elumelu urged staff to support colleagues who are currently receiving care and assured that the company would provide necessary assistance to the families of the deceased.
“As we navigate this grief, I urge you all to reach out to those who are receiving care. In the coming days, we will convene to honour the memories of the departed as we provide support to their families,” he stated.
He also extended gratitude to emergency responders and members of the public who assisted during the incident.
“I also want to thank all those who supported in one way or the other, from emergency responders and first aid workers to members of the public who showed courage and compassion,” Elumelu said.
The billionaire businessman further directed that a minute of silence be observed across all Heirs Holdings companies at 12:00 noon WAT on Wednesday in honour of the victims.
“A minute silence will be observed today at 12:00 noon WAT across all our group companies. May this never happen again in our group. May the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace.”