Police arrest 26-year-old man who set grandma on fire in Jigawa

The Jigawa State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a 26-year-old man, Nura Mas’ud, who allegedly set his grandmother ablaze.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Lawan Adam, confirmed the suspect’s arrest in a statement on Saturday.

He said, “On October 8, 2024, at about 1600hrs, the command was notified of a sad and regrettable incident that occurred in Mu’azu village, Dan Gwanki ward, Sule Tankarkar LG.

“That one Nura Mas’ud, 26 of Mu’azu village, Sule tlTankarkar LGA, went to his family house with a petrol canister and poured it on his grandmother, Zuwaira Muhammad, 60 of the same address, and set her ablaze.

“The elderly woman eventually passed away while being admitted to a hospital as a result of the conflagration.”

He explained that the medical doctor on call certified her death and the corpse was released to relatives for burial according to Islamic rites.

He pointed out that a team of police detectives from the Sule Tankarkar Division quickly arrested and detained the suspect.

“He was later taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department for a discreet investigation.

“During the interrogation, the suspect admitted to committing the alleged offence against him,” the statement added.

Adam noted that a preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect suffers from mental illness and has been receiving treatment at Kazaure Psychiatric Hospital.

“The suspects further stated that the late grandmother upset him by expressing concern about his physical appearance and health, which he did not want. He warned her on several occasions but she refused. Thus, he purchased gasoline, poured and ignited her,” he added.

He said the state Commissioner of Police, A.T. Abdullahi, had directed the SCID to thoroughly investigate the case and prosecute the perpetrator to serve as a deterrent to others.

The Punch