The family of a man identified as Tajudeen Salami, who set his house ablaze with his children in Kwara State has explained the circumstances that led to the action of their son.
WITHIN NIGERIA recalls that Salami had in July set his house on fire over disagreement with his wife in the Lekki Phase 1, Eyenkorin Area of Ilorin, Kwara State capital.
Salami’s wife and the children were rescued by men of the State Fire Service during the incident.
According to Daily Trust, a member of the family, simply identified as Moji, said Salami and his wife, Halimah Folashade, had been battling marital issues for many years.
Moji narrated that Salami, a Muslim and prince of Ajase Ipo in Ifelodun LGA of Kwara State, while the wife, Folashade, was a Christian from Ekiti State who converted to Islam after their marriage.
She explained that, “At the height of their marital issue, the wife denied her husband sex for over a year. Then it was discovered that the paternity of one of their four children was not his.
“After he divorced her, she refused to vacate the house and prevented all efforts by him to sell the house.”
She further said, “Although we know what our brother did is wrong, he was not aware that the children were inside because he didn’t bother to check due to prolonged anger and frustration that was almost leading him to suicide.
“I feel he thought that was the only way to evacuate his wife from the property. Not that he wanted to kill Folashade and the children: Halimah, Ibrahim, Aisha and Suliah.”
She said the period also coincided with the time Salami was looking for money to offset the debt of his son, Ibrahim, which ran into several millions of naira.
Spokesperson of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, had confirmed the development stating, “The man sprayed the three-bedroom flat with petrol before setting it ablaze with the children inside claiming his wife was frustrating him.”
Reacting to the issue, the estranged wife on Wednesday that, ‘’All these allegations against me are false and mere propaganda to whip up public sentiment in his favour, Daily Trust reports.
“If I have been denying him sex, how will I have four children for him. This is all I can say for now. I will speak further if he comes out himself.’’