Metro
Mother, two children killed as arsonists set family ablaze in Lagos
A 22-year-old fashion designer, Eniola Oduse and her two children, four-year-old Eri and two-year-old Onoara, have been burnt to death after suspected arsonists set their home ablaze at the Ita Marun community in the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State.
The deceased’s husband, Kehinde, 25, who was also caught up in the fire, is currently battling for his life in an undisclosed hospital.
PUNCH Metro learnt on Sunday that the incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, November 26.
It was gathered that the family of four was asleep in their room on Monday night when some yet-to-be-identified individuals entered their premises at about 2 a.m.
The individuals were said to have sprinkled petrol around their apartment and specifically poured it into their room before setting it on fire.
The victim’s twin sister, Taiwo, who spoke to our correspondent on Sunday, said while her brother ran out of the room to seek help, 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 caught up in the fire 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 degree 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.
“They were eventually taken into a hospital somewhere in Lagos where they were attended to. But at the time they got medical attention, they were both weak. Doctors tried to save the wife but she later died in the early hours of Thursday. We really can’t ascertain the situation of Kehinde at the moment.”
Our correspondent gathered that the victim’s deceased wife and children had been buried.
In a video sighted by our correspondent, the apartment was razed with the charred remains of the two children lying inside.
Speaking further, Razaq alleged that the cause of the incident was not unconnected to issues relating to land in the community.
He said, “The family has been under pressure and a series of attacks due to attempts to seize their land running into hectares from them. This was a part of what led to the death of their father about four months ago. His brother had also fled the community due to this, but Kehinde chose to stay behind because of his family. He was not at home for about some days. He only came back that Monday to spend the night with his family when this incident happened.”
The spokesperson for the state police command, Benjamin Hundeyin, could not be reached as calls made to his phone were not responded to. A text message sent to him had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.
A 35-year-old man, Gaddafi Isah, and Badamasi Isah, aged 30, have been beaten to death by a mob over the suspected theft of livestock at Katsayal village in the Sandamu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
A counter-insurgency expert focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, made this known in a post on his X handle on Monday.
According to him, intelligence sources revealed that the two victims had driven their father’s vehicle to the outskirts of the village to learn to drive.
He stated that, in the process of the practice, a mob approached and accused them of stealing livestock.
He added that the mob surrounded the two men and beat them severely, causing them to sustain varying degrees of injuries.
“The victims were rescued by the security forces who were deployed to the scene and rushed to the Community Health Centre in Sandamu for treatment, but they were later confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” he posted.
He also disclosed that the vehicle the deceased victims were driving was also damaged during the attack.
He noted that the police had launched an investigation into the incident, and efforts were underway to apprehend the perpetrators responsible for the attack.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the state police command, Abubakar Aliyu, did not respond to calls made to his telephone line.
A text message sent had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.
A tragic incident unfolded on the evening of Saturday, along the Bwari-Dutse Road in Abuja, where a shooting linked to a VIP convoy claimed the life of a bystander and left several others injured.
According to intelligence sources available to Zagazola Makama, the chaos began after a Daf Trailer Truck reportedly lost its brakes and rammed into five tricycles around 6:50 p.m., resulting in a deadly crash. Eight people were injured in the accident, and two later died from their injuries at Kubwa General Hospital.
As emergency responders and commuters grappled with the aftermath of the crash, a VIP convoy approached the gridlocked scene. Eyewitnesses reported that security personnel in the convoy began firing shots into the air, apparently in an attempt to clear the road.
Amid the confusion, a stray bullet hit Timothy John, a passerby from Dutse Baupma, in the chest.
He was rushed to Kubwa General Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The identity of the VIP or those responsible for the gunfire has not yet been disclosed, sparking public outrage and concern over the reckless actions of convoy security operatives.
Authorities have launched a full investigation into both the accident and the shooting, with the body of Timothy John taken for autopsy.
Operatives of the Mabushi Division of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command have foiled a robbery attempt at the Royal Court Estate, Jahi II, Abuja.
The operatives arrested two suspects following a gun battle.The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, March 27, at about 3:20 a.m. after a distress call was received.
Upon arrival, the police officers were engaged in a shootout by the robbers but eventually overpowered them with superior firepower.
According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, on Sunday, the suspects, Rabiu Jubril and Ibrahim Isa, both residents of Tipper Garage, Jahi—were arrested after a hot pursuit.
Adeh said, “On March 27, 2025 at about 3:20 a.m., operatives of the Mabushi Division responded swiftly to a distress call reporting ongoing robbery at Royal Court Estate, Jahi II.
“Upon arrival at the scene, the police operatives were engaged in a gun duel by the hoodlums. However, the suspects were overpowered by the superior firepower of the police and attempted to flee with gunshot injuries.
“A hot pursuit ensued, leading to the arrest of two suspects—Rabiu Jubril and Ibrahim Isa, both residents of Tipper Garage, Jahi. ”
Adeh added that items recovered from the suspects include two locally made firearms, three suspected stolen vehicles— a black Toyota Matrix (Reg. No. NBS 348 CP), a black Toyota Venza (Reg. No. ABJ 105 AV), and a grey Lexus IS350 (Reg. No. RSH 295 CB).
She stated that electronic devices such as two MacBook Pro laptops, a Lenovo laptop, an iPad, a PS4 gaming console, a Canon IP1224 camera, and a drone camera were also recovered.
“The suspects are currently in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations, ” Adeh added.
Adeh said the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ajao Adewale, urged residents to adopt proactive security measures, especially by installing tracking devices in their vehicles to aid recovery efforts in case of theft.
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