Man arrested for allegedly setting mother, 3 children ablaze

A middle-aged man, Shola Adewumi, has been arrested for allegedly setting his estranged lover and her three children on fire. Police said yesterday that Adewunmi was traced to his hideout through one of his phones which was found at the scene of the crime. The victims  –  Bose Enitan (mother), Nifemi, 5; Ayo, 9; and […]

A middle-aged man, Shola Adewumi, has been arrested for allegedly setting his estranged lover and her three children on fire.

Police said yesterday that Adewunmi was traced to his hideout through one of his phones which was found at the scene of the crime.

The victims  –  Bose Enitan (mother), Nifemi, 5; Ayo, 9; and Esther 17  –  were said to be fast asleep about 2am in their shanty abode located along Power Line, Alagbado, Lagos, when the suspect set it on fire.

While Nifemi died, the three other persons sustained second degree burns.

A neighbour, Anthony Ijase, told Daily Trust, “We were woken up by the cry of ‘fire, fire’ from some of the guards on duty. When I came out, fire had engulfed the entire wooden house. It was easy for us to break into the one-room apartment. When we entered, the entire room was engulfed in smoke. We managed to rescue the woman and her three children from the raging fire.

“Unfortunately, Nifemi died, while Ayo and her mum sustained minor burns. Esther sustained serious wounds. The three survivors were rushed to the Gbagada General Hospital where they are being treated.”

Another neighbour, James Afolabi, alleged it was Adewunmi, whom he described as Enitan’s estranged lover, who set the house on fire.

Afolabi said the suspect had vowed to set the lady and her children on fire over a minor quarrel.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, who visited the crime scene, said, “The DPO and his team that promptly arrived here did a painstaking search and were able to recover a phone that was traced to its owner, Shola Adewunmi, who had had a serious altercation with the woman.

“Evidence we have so far revealed that it was done on purpose.

Adewunmi started the fire with the intent to burn both the woman and her children alive.”