Former presidential candidate Peter Obi was present at the burial ceremony of three siblings from Anambra State who were tragically killed in the fire that engulfed the Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) House on Lagos Island on December 24, 2025. The three brothers, Steve Omatu (40), Casmir Omatu (39) and Collins Omatu (37) were laid to rest in their hometown of Uzoakwa, Ihiala Local Government Area on January 14, 2026. Obi joined family members, local leaders and sympathisers at the burial, offering condolences and praying for strength for the widows and children left behind. In a message shared during the event, he expressed deep sorrow over the loss of “energetic and promising young men” whose lives were cut short in the inferno that devastated the high‑rise building.
A service of songs and Requiem Mass was held in Lagos prior to the interment, and prominent figures including the lawmaker representing Ihiala Federal Constituency attended to show support for the bereaved family and community. Obi also encouraged the community to keep the family in their prayers as they cope with the profound loss.
The GNI House blaze, which began just before Christmas in one of Lagos’s busiest commercial districts, claimed multiple lives and triggered widespread reactions about emergency response and building safety standards.
