A tragic twist has emerged in the aftermath of the devastating fire that gutted the 25-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House in Lagos. Chukwuebuka Emmanuel, the man who first raised the alarm via a live video, is now missing alongside his brother, leaving friends in mourning and desperate for answers.
From Bystander to Missing Person
According to close friends, Chukwuebuka Emmanuel was at home when the inferno erupted on the evening of Wednesday, December 24, 2025. He initially captured the shocking scene from his residence, expressing his disbelief. Driven by a need to document the event, he and his brother then reportedly drove to the Lagos Island shopping centre adjacent to the burning skyscraper.
It was from this location that Chukwuebuka went live on Facebook, filming the raging fire that would later be described as one of Lagos's most severe building fires. Tragically, that broadcast was his last. Neither he nor his brother has been seen or heard from since that fateful evening. Friends confirm that the vehicle they used remains parked at the car park, adding to the mystery and fear surrounding their disappearance.
Scale of the Disaster and Ongoing Search
The fire at Great Nigeria House has left a trail of immense destruction. Three bodies have been recovered from the rubble so far. The victims include an adult woman handed over to her husband, a decapitated adult man with severed limbs, and another adult man found with his body intact. It remains unclear if Chukwuebuka and his brother are among these recovered victims.
On a slightly hopeful note, emergency services successfully rescued eight individuals, including a firefighter, who sustained varying degrees of injury. They were promptly transported to the hospital for treatment. Additionally, five other people—three men and two women—received care for minor injuries at the scene and were later discharged.
The economic impact is also staggering, with goods belonging to importers and Instagram vendors worth billions of naira completely wiped out, devastating many businesses.
A Community in Mourning
Heartbroken friends have turned to Chukwuebuka's final social media post to express their grief and anguish. Many are left questioning why he felt compelled to get closer to the danger after his initial alert. "Why did you have to enter that building?" echoes as a painful refrain among those who knew him, symbolizing the sudden and cruel turn of events.
As investigations into the cause of the fire continue, the primary concern for many is the fate of the two brothers. The Lagos State emergency response teams are continuing their operations at the site, hoping to provide closure for all families affected by this monumental tragedy.
