On March 18, 2025, tragedy struck at No. 7, View Avenue, Chevron, Lagos, when a water tank stand collapsed, crashing through the roof and landing directly on a sleeping woman. She died instantly, without a scream or a chance to call for help.
According to her brother, the victim had just returned from work, freshened up, and lay down to rest, unaware it would be her last day. "It’s heartbreaking," he said. "She didn’t deserve this—no one does."
The victim lived in a sublet apartment. Her brother explained that the apartment was originally rented by a woman named Favour Nnanna, who then rented it out to his sister. He tried to reach the landlady through a contact Favour provided, only to find the number belonged to someone unrelated to the house or incident. Favour insisted it was the same number she had used on WhatsApp and claimed to be attending a church programme.
"I’ve tried to be patient," the brother said. "But it’s exhausting. If this had been a case of fraud or arson, the landlady would’ve appeared. But now that someone died, she’s nowhere to be found."
He added that the least the property owner could do was to acknowledge the incident and reach out to the family. “Ignoring us is unacceptable.”
When the other tenants discovered the lifeless body, they rushed her to a hospital, but she was declared dead on arrival. The hospital, however, refused to release her body without a payment of ₦250,000. When he questioned the bill, the doctor vaguely cited “hospital policy” and avoided specifics. To prevent further delay, he paid the amount.
But then, the hospital demanded a police report. Favour volunteered to go to the station but asked for transport money. He sent her between ₦3,500 and ₦5,000 and later added ₦28,000 for airtime. When she reached the station, the police allegedly asked for ₦100,000 before she could make a statement.
Shocked but desperate, he paid the amount, which was transferred to a PoS operator’s account. “At that point, I suspected something was wrong, but I didn’t want more delays in getting my sister’s body.”
The deceased, who had two children, had previously lived in Dubai. She returned to Nigeria to start a salon and beauty spa business in Lagos. She had earlier separated from her children’s father after he impregnated another woman.
“She trained as a hairdresser in Aba and also took computer training,” her brother said. “I paid for both. I just wanted her to have a skill and be independent.”
The last time they spoke was a week before the incident. She had called to say a delivery person had stolen goods worth ₦155,000.
She was the second to last of six siblings.
“She had two children who are still in school,” he said. “I’ve made sure they’re well cared for. Their father has never checked on them and abandoned them long ago.”
Though their mother initially urged restraint, the family is now considering legal action due to the landlady’s silence.
“Someone must take responsibility. A thorough investigation is needed into the building's structure to prevent future tragedies,” he said.
Their mother, a widow, has been devastated. “She tries to stay strong, but we know how broken she is. As for me, I’m trying to stay calm for her sake. But the pain is unbearable.”
The victim is scheduled to be buried on Friday, April 25, 2025.
