The Yobe State Police Command has arrested a nine-year-old boy for allegedly setting his family’s house ablaze, resulting in the deaths of his two stepmothers and two younger brothers.
The incident reportedly occurred at Rugan Badali in Karasuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State.
According to Channels Television, the boy allegedly confessed to setting the house on fire after his father accused him of stealing a fowl and beat him.
Recounting what happened, the suspect reportedly said he had taken one of the family’s fowls to sell, which led to people reporting the incident to his father.
“I carried one of our fowls to sell; the general public, looking at my age, reported me to my father, and I was beaten,” he said.
The boy claimed that he subsequently bought a N50 box of matches from a neighbour and waited until his two stepmothers and two younger brothers were asleep before allegedly setting the house on fire.
“The following day, I bought a N50 worth of matches at the neighbourhood while my two stepmothers and two younger brothers were asleep; I set our house on fire as revenge for what my father did to me,” he reportedly confessed.
He further claimed that after the fire started, he shouted for help and people arrived to rescue those inside, but he did not initially disclose that he had allegedly started the fire.
“Although when the house caught fire, I only shouted for help and people came for the rescue, I did not tell them that I was the one who did it until after three days of prayer; I now confessed and was later arrested by policemen and brought here to Damaturu,” he said.
The suspect was paraded alongside his father, Abubakar Idi, by the Yobe State Police Command.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Yusuf Adamu-Ali, acknowledged that the suspect is a minor but said the police would not simply allow the matter to go without action.
He said the case would serve as a deterrent to other children who may become involved in unlawful activities.
Adamu-Ali also expressed concern over the incident, particularly as Yobe State continues to recover from the devastating effects of the Boko Haram insurgency.
The police are expected to continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the fire and the deaths of the four victims.
