A man died after setting himself and his wife ablaze in the Ijoka Area of Akure, Ondo State. The couple, who had been married for ten years and had two children, had been separated due to an undisclosed marital issue.
According to a statement released by the Ondo State Police Command on its X handle on Friday, the deceased had been begging his wife to reconcile, but she refused.
The source stated, “The man had been separated from his wife for some time but had been begging her to end the conflict between them and continue their lives as husband and wife. However, the wife refused.”
The police source further explained that on the fateful day, the deceased invited his estranged wife to his house to pick up an item. When she arrived, he began begging her again, but the wife insisted on not reconciling. In a fit of rage, the man locked the door from the back, poured petrol on both himself and the woman, and set them on fire. He died on the spot.
When contacted, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami, confirmed the incident. She stated, “They were married and, along the way, had issues that caused them to stay apart. The deceased asked his wife to come over and collect a wardrobe. When she arrived, he began threatening to kill himself but later locked the door so that both of them would die together.”
Odunlami further explained, “Using fuel and a lighter, he set himself and the woman ablaze. He died on the spot, while the woman suffered major burns.” The wife is currently receiving treatment in a hospital.
