At about 5 pm on June 11, 2025, a powerful explosion shattered the calm atmosphere in the Oluwatobi Ilori Close area of Obawole, Iju, Lagos. Within moments, thick smoke filled the air, and what had started as a pleasant sunny afternoon quickly turned into a terrifying ordeal for residents, Udeh Onyebuchi reports.
•Widow, tenant recall how midnight fire from neighbourhood filling station ruined their lives
•Demand compensation from lawmaker owner
An evening that began as an ordinary one in Obawole part of Iju, Lagos turned into a night of horror for residents who lived close to Optima Oil Limited filling station on June 11, 2025. Like a bolt from the blue, a fiery explosion ripped through the neighborhood, leaving the neighbourhood in ruins.
Although no lives were lost, the material and emotional toll was staggering. From gutted homes to burnt-out vehicles, lost livelihoods and long stay in hospitals, survivors and witnesses were left to grapple with the aftermath of an inferno that many claim was both preventable and avoidable.
The tragic incident unfolded at about 5 pm as a 33,000-litre fuel tanker was discharging premium motor spirit (PMS) at the Optima filling station on Bola Ahmed Tinubu Road and a second fully loaded tanker stood by.
According to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, a spark during the offloading process triggered a massive fire that rapidly engulfed the premises, destroying the tankers, the retail mart, and nearby residential buildings.
Among the worst hit were two women — Mrs. Gloria Unazoi, a widow and bookseller, and her tenant, Ms. Chinyere Lillian Adelabu, a mother of three and customer service representative. Together, their stories weave a grim narrative of infrastructural failure, administrative negligence, and the devastating consequences of poor urban planning.
Ruined widow fights for justice
For Gloria Unazoi, the fire outbreak was not just an incident, it was the culmination of years of warnings and ignored concerns. A widow of a former Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) staffer, she had lived at No. 3 Oluwatobi Ilori Close in Obawole for more than two decades. She and her late husband had fought against the establishment of a fuel station so close to their home.
She said: “My husband opposed the plan from the start. He contacted his old DPR colleagues. The community initially backed us. But eventually, they were swayed. We were betrayed.”
After her husband’s death, she was left alone in the family house. She rented out a part of the building and ran a bookstore to keep afloat. She never imagined the fuel station next door, once a mere zoning controversy, would one day leave her homeless.
Recalling the tragic incident, she said: “I was awoken at 3:30 am by a call from my tenant. My house was burning.
“I couldn’t even escape through the front door. The fence had to be broken for me to get out.
“Everything is gone — walls cracked, ceilings collapsed, store cracked.
“My husband built a home but now I live in fear and debris.”
Despite the magnitude of damage, Unazoi says the owner of the filling station, Hon. Rasheed Olanrewaju Makinde — a two-time Lagos State House of Assembly member — has failed to take responsibility.
“He only offered patchwork repairs. We asked for N10 million in damages but he tried to pacify us with cosmetic fixes and silence instead,” she said in a tone laden with utter disappointment.
Victim: Everything I owned turned into ashes
Perhaps no voice captures the raw devastation of the fire like that of Ms. Lillian Adelabu. A mother of three, she had just returned home when she noticed the tanker outside the station.
“I saw him dip the gauge into the tank. Then a spark. It ignited instantly. I screamed for my children. We ran for our lives,” she recounted, her voice trembling.
They narrowly escaped through a broken wall. But her apartment — her entire belongings — was consumed by flames.
“This room held everything. shoes, clothes, handbags, electronics, jewelery all gone.
“I lost more than N17 million worth of property. I even fainted and had to be hospitalised,” she said, pointing to what remained.
Her lawyer’s letter to Hon. Makinde detailed the losses: N6 million in clothing, N6.5 million in shoes and bags, N700,000 in hair accessories, N800,000 for electronics, and daily hotel costs of N35,000 — expenses that continue to mount weeks after the incident.
“They offered me only N250,000, and now, they are offering N3 million for everything — an insult, not compensation,” she said.
With her apartment uninhabitable, Adelabu has had to move into a hotel with she and her children crammed into a single room.
“Even my underwear was burnt. People had to donate clothes to us. All that I laboured for, reduced to ashes,” she said.
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A history of tragedies
It was not the first time that fire would break out at this Optima Oil. In 2023, a fire incident occurred, which residents say should have prompted greater caution.
“The lessons weren’t learnt. If anything, they doubled down on their negligence,” Unazoi said.
Ms. Adelabu corroborated this, noting a previous incident where a tanker broke into their wall during a late-night manoeuvre.
“We warned them. We asked for safety barriers, stoppers. They refused. Now look.”
Residents said in spite of repeated complaints, Makinde used his political influence to silence opposition.
“He told us we’re not fighting, just disagreeing. But I told him my children have no father; don’t deny them a mother too,” Unazoi said.
Demands for accountability, action
Following the fire, the lawyer representing Adelabu issued a formal demand letter to Makinde seeking full compensation — totaling N17.75 million — for losses and suffering.
“They claim the station isn’t even insured. How can you operate a fuel station in Lagos without insurance? Who allowed that?” Adelabu asked.
When development means disaster
Beyond the personal tragedies, this incident spotlights a systemic urban planning failure. In a city prone to congestion, fire outbreaks, and infrastructural decay, building a filling station a mere metres from residential homes is a dangerous gamble.
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), and the Lagos State Safety Commission must all answer difficult questions. Why was this fuel station approved? Was there an Environmental Impact Assessment? Were safety protocols followed? Were fire extinguishing systems adequate?
Today, Unazoi lives in the shell of her once vibrant home. Adelabu endures hotel bills, trauma, and memories of fire. Both are united in grief and determination.
“I won’t be silenced. I will not accept token gestures while my life is in ruins. I want justice,” Adelabu said.
For Gloria Unazoi, the wounds are deeper. “This was my husband’s legacy. He should rebuild the part that the fire affected.”
Multiple efforts made to reach Mr. Rasheed Olanrewaju Makinde for his side of the story, including direct phone calls and follow-ups, were futile. He consistently refused to answer or return calls made to his phone.
His wife did pick up once and said she would get back to the reporter. Unfortunately, she never did.
