Police in Yobe have arrested a nine-year-old boy over the setting of a house on fire, resulting in the deaths of his two stepmothers and two younger brothers.
The incident occurred at Rugan Badal, a hamlet in Karasuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State.
Police said the minor allegedly set his family home ablaze to exact revenge on his father, who had punished him for stealing a fowl.
The young suspect told Channels Television the chilling details of how and why he carried out the act.
He said, “I carried one of our fowls to sell; the general public, looking at my age, reported me to my father, and I was beaten.
“The following day, I bought ₦50 worth of matches in the neighbourhood while my two stepmothers and two younger brothers were asleep; I set our house on fire as revenge for what my father did to me.”
The fire quickly engulfed the residence while the victims were trapped inside.
The minor claimed that after setting the fire, he raised the alarm to draw the attention of neighbours.
“Although when the house caught fire, I only shouted for help and people came for the rescue, I did not tell them that I was the one who did it until after three days of prayer; I now confessed and was later arrested by policemen and brought here to Damaturu,” the boy added.
Police in Yobe have paraded the suspect alongside his father, Abubakar Idi, on Tuesday.
State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Yusuf Adamu-Ali, acknowledged the suspect’s young age but emphasised that the gravity of the crime requires legal accountability to serve as a deterrent to others.
The tragic incident has left the local community in shock, raising questions about domestic discipline, child psychology, and the accessibility of dangerous materials to minors.
Investigations into the matter are ongoing.
