- Lagos Sets Up Inquest into Afriland Tower Fire
- The incident occurred when smoke reportedly emanated from the building’s inverter room
- The inquest is expected to establish the cause and circumstances of the deaths
The Lagos State Judiciary has appointed a coroner to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of ten people who lost their lives in the recent fire outbreak at Afriland Tower, located on Broad Street, Lagos Island.
Eko Hot Blog reports that this follows a formal request by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), who petitioned the Chief Coroner of Lagos State to conduct an inquest into the tragedy.
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According to earlier reports, the incident occurred when smoke reportedly emanated from the building’s inverter room, leading to panic and chaos. Videos shared on social media captured desperate scenes of people jumping from the upper floors, while others were rescued by residents and passersby using ladders.
In the petition titled “Request For Inquest Into The Death Of Ten (10) Persons At Afriland Tower” and dated September 29, 2025, Falana’s law firm, represented by Taiwo Olawanle, urged the Chief Coroner to invoke Section 15 of the Lagos State Coroner’s Law (2007), which mandates an inquiry into deaths occurring under violent, unnatural, or suspicious circumstances.
“Having regard to the avoidable tragic incident, we humbly request a coroner’s inquest to determine the cause of death and to make recommendations under Section 15 of the Lagos State Coroner’s Law 2007,” the petition read.
Falana noted that the victims included four officials of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and six employees of United Capital Plc, who were trapped inside the six-storey building when thick smoke engulfed the premises.
In response, the Lagos State Judiciary confirmed that the case had been assigned to Coroner Court 9 of the Igbosere District, which sits at Court 4, Yaba Magisterial District.
A notice issued on Monday by Senior Magistrate A. Adetunji stated that a preliminary meeting involving all relevant stakeholders has been scheduled for Tuesday, October 14, 2025, to outline the process for the inquest.
“There would be a Preliminary Meeting with all parties to chart a course for the inquest if one were to be convened,” the notice read. “The meeting is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, the 14th of October, 2025, at Court 4, Yaba Magisterial District, at 9 a.m.”
When convened, the inquest is expected to establish the cause and circumstances of the deaths, identify potential lapses that led to the tragedy, and make recommendations to prevent a recurrence of such incidents in the future.
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