Troubled Man Sets Family of Seven Ablaze, Five Die

A suspected mentally-ill man at Budo Alaka village in Kisi, in the Oriire area of Oyo State has been accused of setting a house on fire on Sunday, killing five family members, while two survivors of the attack were said to be receiving treatment at a Hospital.

An eyewitness disclosed that the suspect, identified as Monday Daniel, carried out the attack while the family members were sleeping in their apartment.

The survivors were identified as 24-year-old Samuel Ode and 21-year-old Mariam Ode.

The eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the mentally-ill man had approached the family a day earlier and demanded money to travel to an undisclosed place. A member of the family was said to have refused to give him the money.

The suspect got angry by the refusal of the family member to give him the money. He was said to have gone back to the house early on Sunday and set it ablaze through the roof.

The names of the dead victims were given as three-year-old Blessing Ode; eight-month-old Friday Ode; 10-year-old Mummy Ogbada; six-year-old Daddy Ogbada; and 46-year-old Ogunma Ogbada.

The witness said the suspect escaped from the scene of the incident, but was later arrested by the Oyo State Police Command.

The Police Public Relations of the command, DSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, who confirmed the arrest, said the suspect would be transferred to the State CID for further investigation.