The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has mobilised the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) to support ongoing rescue and recovery operations at the Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) House, Marina, Lagos Island, following last week’s devastating fire incident.

The intervention, which was revealed in a public statement issued by NEMA, follows a formal request by Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, seeking Federal Government support to enable the safe demolition of the structurally distressed 22-storey building.

The controlled demolition, officials explained, is necessary to create access for excavation and recovery efforts at the disaster site.

According to the statement, NEMA’s Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Usman Bature, alongside the Agency’s Lagos Operations Head, Mr Tunde Mohammed, led the CCECC technical team to the site where preliminary assessments and stakeholder engagements had commenced.

Recall, Governor Sanwo-Olu, during his second visit to the scene on Friday, January 2, 2026, stressed that excavation works cannot begin until the compromised building is safely pulled down to protect emergency responders and the public.

CCECC has already deployed heavy-duty machinery and is currently conducting technical evaluations pending further directives from relevant authorities.

NEMA reaffirmed its collaboration with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), fire services, security agencies and other critical responders to ensure a coordinated, professional and safe rescue operation.