Four family members, including two women and two children, have died after a house was allegedly set on fire by a nine-year-old boy in Rugan Badali, Karasuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State.
The Yobe State Police Command said the boy was arrested after allegedly confessing to starting the fire in retaliation for being beaten by his father over the theft of a chicken and a phone battery.
Yusuf Adamu-Ali, the police spokesperson, disclosed the details in an interview with Channels Television, saying investigations established that the fire was deliberately started rather than an accidental outbreak.
According to the police, the incident occurred while the boy’s two stepmothers and two younger brothers were asleep inside the house.
The suspect reportedly told investigators that he bought matches worth ₦50 from a neighbourhood shop the day after his father beat him.
“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 boy reportedly said.
He added that he set the house on fire while the family members were sleeping, describing the act as revenge for the punishment he received.
The boy reportedly raised the alarm after the fire started and called for help but did not initially disclose his involvement. According to his account, he confessed three days later after a period of prayer.
Police subsequently arrested him and took him to Damaturu, the state capital, for further investigation.
Adamu-Ali said the suspect was presented alongside his father and acknowledged that the boy was a minor. He maintained that the police would pursue the case in accordance with the investigation’s findings.
The incident has raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding the deaths, including the alleged motive and the events leading up to the fire.
Police said investigations showed that the blaze was deliberately set, with the suspect’s reported confession forming part of the case.
