Tragedy struck on Tuesday when a fire engulfed at Afriland Towers on Broad Street, Lagos, a multiple storey building that houses offices of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and United Capital Plc (UCAP), a branch of United Bank of Africa (UBA), and other financial institutions.
The fire was said to have started in the inverter room in the building’s before spreading upward.
Videos from the incident on social media showed occupants of the high-rise building escaping through the windows.
On Wednesday, the FIRS announced that four of its staff died in the incident.
A statement by Dare Adekanmbi, media aide to Zacch Adedeji, the FIRS chairperson, said the deceased were working at the agency’s offices on the sixth and seventh floors when the incident occurred.
Chronicle NG understands that the FIRS staff died after inhalation thick smoke that covered the building during the incident.
Below are the names of the deceased FIRS staff.
George Faith Ekelikhostse
The late Fauth was an assistant director with the FIRS. She was 58. TheCable understands that she died three days to her voluntary retirement after 32 years of service.
Sunday-Jatto David
David, 51, was an assistant director with the FIRS and had served for 15 years.
Ifaranmaye Peter
Peter was a manager with nine years in service. He was 48 years old.
Onyemelukwe Nkem
Nkem was a senior manager with 13 years in service. She was 54 years old.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")