MAN SETS HIS MOTHER ON FIRE IN LAGOS

The Police in Lagos, yesterday, said they were on the trail of a man
who allegedly burnt his 87-year-old mother to death in their Adekunle
Yaba residence in Lagos.
The fleeing assailant, 45-year-old Bamidele Bakare, was alleged to
have set the building located on 16, Ishola Street...
ablaze.
Eye witnesses said before the building was set ablaze, Bamidele
evacuated his five children and property from one of the rooms he
occupied.
While the building comprising eight rooms was on fire, occupants who
were jolted from sleep reportedly scrambled out of their respective
apartments for safety.
Two of them who attempted to rescue the octogenarian identified as
Folorunsho Bakare who was fast asleep were reportedly prevented by
Bamidele, whom they alleged threatened to set them ablaze too if they
dared.
Elder brother to the alleged assailant, Mr Olu Bakare, who reportedly
rushed down from Jos, the Plateau State capital where he resides,
expressed shock that his sibling could send their mother to her grave
in such manner.
He told Vanguard yesterday: "As if the death of our mother was not
enough, my brother buried her charred remains without my consent."
Bakare said the burnt building was owned by him, adding that things
fell apart between him and his younger brother after the latter
allegedly stole documents of some of his property located in Jos and
Lagos.
Bakare said: "I took him to court and that was the beginning ofhis
rift with me. I believe he set my mother on fire because of that. But
what has that got to do with my 87-year-old mother?
"When I heard the news, I took the next available vehicle to Lagos. I
reported the matter to the Adekunle Police division, from where the
Divisional Crime Officer and Inspector Crime followed me to ascertain
the claim.
"I was also asked to get two persons who saw when he was setting the
building ablaze. I did and they attested to it.
"They said when they wanted to rescue my mother, Bamidele told them to
leave her to die, saying after all, she was his mother and that he was
capable of burying her. After setting the building ablaze, he
disappeared with his children."
However, police sources said efforts were on to arrest fleeing Bamidele.