The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has expressed sadness over the losses at the recent fire outbreak at the Great Nigeria Insurance building on Lagos Island and the Nigerian Army Shopping Complex.

This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday.

The GNI building fire occurred on Christmas eve and killed several people, while the shopping complex’s fire at Oshodi occurred in the early days of the new year.

“These recurring fire disasters highlight the urgent need for a comprehensive review and strengthening of emergency response infrastructure, fire safety preparedness, and market safety mechanisms across the country.

“Markets remain the lifeline of millions of Nigerians and must be adequately protected through proactive planning, functional firefighting facilities, and effective coordination among emergency agencies,” said the group.

The statement added, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide calls on relevant authorities at all levels of government to treat these incidents as a wake-up call and take immediate steps to prevent future occurrences.

“Prominent amongst actions to take is the mandatory addition of fire containment features in the construction of market stalls.”

(NAN)