- The deceased are identified as 22-year-old fashion designer, Eniola Oduse and her two children, four-year-old Eri and two-year-old Onoara.
In Lagos State, a mother and her two children were burnt to death after suspected arsonists set their home on fire.
The incident happened at the Ita Marun community in the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State in the early hours of Tuesday, November 26.
The deceased are identified as 22-year-old fashion designer, Eniola Oduse and her two children, four-year-old Eri and two-year-old Onoara.
The deceased’s husband, Kehinde, 25, who escaped death by a whisker, is currently battling for his life in an undisclosed hospital.
According to Punch, the victims were asleep in their room on Monday night when some yet-to-be-identified individuals stormed their premises at about 2 a.m.
The individuals were said to have poured petrol around their apartment and specifically doused the victims’ room with it before setting it on fire.
The victim’s twin sister, Taiwo, told newsmen on Sunday that while her brother dashed out of the room to seek assistance, his wife and two children didn’t make it alive.
She said, “The incident happened around 2 am. My brother and his family were already asleep when the people came and poured petrol on the building. Meanwhile, my brother had opened his window to allow ventilation. When they saw the window open, they sprinkled petrol in their room. The smell of the petrol woke the wife, who quickly called her husband’s attention to the smell.
“By the time they attempted to find out what was going on, they saw someone light a fire and throw it into their room. Kehinde, with fire on his body, quickly ran out of the house to call his relative living close to the house. Although the relative did not respond to his call, it was another neighbour who heard his voice and ran out to help.”
According to Taiwo, Kehinde’s wife and the two kids were already burnt to death when they returned to the apartment.
She said, “When they got back to the house, they saw the wife lying on the entrance of the house with the legs of her two kids in her arms. She actually tried to drag them out but the fire was too much and the kids were already dead at the time.”
Another member of the family of the victim, who identified himself as Razaq, said the couple were rushed to various hospitals at midnight but were rejected due to the severity of the burns.
He said they were moved around for medical attention for about seven hours before they were later referred to a hospital where they were later admitted.
Speaking further, Razaq alleged that the cause of the incident was not unconnected to issues relating to land in the community.
The Lagos State Police Command is yet to issue a statement on the tragic incident
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