Police in Yobe State have arrested a nine-year-old boy for allegedly setting his family home ablaze, killing his two stepmothers and two younger brothers.
The incident occurred at Rugan Badali in Karasuwa Local Government Area of the state.
According to the police, the boy allegedly carried out the act after his father beat him for attempting to sell one of the family’s fowls.
Speaking to Channels Television, the minor said he became angry after the beating and decided to set the house on fire in revenge.
‘I carried one of our fowls to sell; the general public, looking at my age, reported me to my father, and I was beaten,’ he said.
‘The following day, I bought ?50 worth of matches at 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 boy said he later raised an alarm after the fire started but did not initially admit responsibility.
‘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,’ he said.
The suspect was paraded alongside his father, Abubakar Idi.
Yobe State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Yusuf Adamu-Ali, said the boy was a minor but would not simply be allowed to go free.
According to the police spokesman, the case would be handled in a way that could serve as a deterrent to other children involved in unlawful acts.
Adamu-Ali also expressed concern over the incident, particularly as Yobe continues to recover from years of insecurity linked to the Boko Haram insurgency.