Stolen Fowl Dispute Ends In Yobe Fire Tragedy

 

By Asma'u Bashir Bello 

A family dispute over a stolen fowl has ended in a devastating tragedy in Yobe State, where a nine-year-old boy has been arrested after a fire destroyed his family home and killed four people inside.

The victims were identified as the boy’s two stepmothers and his two younger brothers.

The incident happened at Rugan Badal, a small hamlet in Karasuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State.

According to the police, the tragedy began after the child took one of the family’s fowls and attempted to sell it.

The matter reportedly came to the attention of his father, Abubakar Idi, who punished him over the incident.

What happened next would have deadly consequences.

Speaking to Channels Television, the young suspect said he decided to retaliate against his father after the punishment.

He reportedly bought matches for ₦50 from a nearby seller the following day. At the time, his two stepmothers and two younger brothers were asleep inside the family residence.

The boy then set the house on fire.

The flames quickly spread through the building, trapping those inside.

Rather than immediately revealing his involvement, the child said he ran out and raised an alarm, prompting neighbours to rush towards the burning house in an attempt to rescue the occupants.

The victims, however, did not survive the fire.

The suspect said he kept the truth about how the fire started to himself for several days.

He eventually confessed after three days of prayer, according to his account.

His confession reportedly led to his arrest by the police, after which he was taken to Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

The Yobe State Police Command later paraded the boy alongside his father, Abubakar Idi, on Tuesday.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Yusuf Adamu-Ali, acknowledged the suspect’s age but said the seriousness of the incident could not simply be ignored.

According to the police spokesperson, the case requires legal attention, with accountability considered necessary to discourage similar incidents.

The circumstances have left residents of the community deeply disturbed, particularly because of the suspect’s young age and the number of lives lost.

Beyond the immediate investigation, the tragedy has also raised difficult questions about how children respond to punishment, the psychological state of minors involved in extreme acts of violence, and how easily dangerous items such as matches can be obtained by children.

For investigators, the task now goes beyond establishing who started the fire. They will also have to examine the events leading up to it, the circumstances surrounding the deaths, and the appropriate legal process for a nine-year-old suspect.

The investigation remains ongoing.

(Source: Daily Trust)