Tony Elumelu, the Chairman of Afriland Properties Plc, has ended his trip to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York to return to Lagos following a tragic fire at Afriland Towers that resulted in the deaths of several employees.
The New Daily Prime reported that Afriland Towers in Broad Street market located in Idumota Lagos State was engulfed by fire at 1:38pm on Tuesday, September 16, 2025.
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In a statement on Wednesday, a visibly grief-stricken Elumelu said he was “shattered” by the incident, calling it a devastating loss for the entire Afriland community.
He expressed his profound sorrow, noting that the fire was a tragic reminder of the value of human life.
“No words can capture the magnitude of this loss,” Elumelu wrote, “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, who was on his way to UNGA when he received the news, immediately decided to cut his journey short as a sign of respect for his fallen colleagues.
He called on staff to support those receiving medical care and pledged that the company would provide comprehensive support to the families of the deceased.
He also announced that a memorial service would be held to honor the victims and thanked first responders and the public for their support and courage during the emergency.
READ ALSO: Afriland Tower disaster exposes Lagos urban safety standards
As a final tribute, he stated that a minute of silence would be observed across all of his companies in memory of those who lost their lives.
