Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the death of two persons from severe fire burns.
The command confirmed that a 43-year-old teacher, Gbemisola Edward, and her 11-year-old daughter, Dolapo were confirmed dead at an Ogun State hospital.
The woman’s husband, Joshua, who is said to be at large was said to have poured petrol on her, their daughter, and his seven-year-old son, Samson, and set them ablaze.
The incident happened on Thursday on Augustine Street, Ire Akari Estate, in the Ifo Local Government Area, Ogun State.
Gbemisola’s son, Joshua Babatunde, 16, who survived the incidence, claimed that his stepfather had wanted his mother to sell their three-bedroomed apartment, which she refused.
“It was the scream of my mother that woke me up. Dolapo and Samson were also set ablaze. I wanted to put out the fire when my stepfather poured petrol on me as well. Before he returned with matches, I managed to escape and reported at the Ifo Police Station.
“He was working with a factory but was sacked some months ago. He then told my mother to sell the house so that he could use the money to start a business. But my mother said she would never sell the house she struggled to build” he said.
Continuing Joshua said: “We moved into the house in January. The following month, he and Samson started living with us. It was a woman at our former residence in Iyana Ipaja (Lagos State) that bore Samson for him. He used to beat mum while we were in Iyana Ipaja.”
The victims we further gathered were admitted to Aron Hospital, a private facility in the area, while the survivor fled the scene.
While Dolapo died a few minutes after she got to the hospital, the mother died on Friday.
The other victim, Samson, who has burns in the head, hands and legs, is still responding to treatment we learnt.
The Ogun State Police Command’s acting spokesperson, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi who confirmed the incidence said the command had launched a manhunt for the killer husband.
“We learnt the man and his wife had a quarrel over the ownership of the house they lived in. While the family was asleep, the man poured patrol on the living room and set it ablaze. As a result, the woman and the two children suffered first degree burns. The Commissioner of Police has ordered that the suspect be fished out. He can only run, he cannot hide,” he said.
