Yobe: 9-Year-Old Boy Burns Stepmothers, Brothers To Death In Revenge Attack

Yobe: 9-Year-Old Boy Burns Stepmothers, Brothers To Death In Revenge Attack

A nine-year-old boy has been arrested in Yobe State after allegedly setting his family home ablaze, killing his two stepmothers and two younger brothers in what police described as an act of revenge against his father.

The incident occurred in Rugan Badali, a hamlet in Karasuwa Local Government Area of the state.

According to the Yobe State Police Command, the boy had been accused of stealing a fowl and was subsequently beaten by his father.

Police said the boy allegedly bought matches the following day and set the family house on fire while his two stepmothers and two younger brothers were asleep.

The minor later confessed to the incident, telling Channels Television that he carried out the act because he was angry with his father for beating him.

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The boy reportedly said he initially shouted for help after the fire started but did not disclose that he had caused the blaze. He allegedly confessed three days later following prayers, after which he was arrested and taken to Damaturu.

The police subsequently paraded the suspect alongside his father, identified as Abubakar Idi.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Yobe, ASP Yusuf Adamu-Ali, said the suspect was a minor but would not simply be released, stressing that the case would be handled in accordance with the law.

The police spokesman also expressed concern over the incident, particularly because it occurred in a state still recovering from years of Boko Haram insurgency.

The case has raised fresh concerns about child behaviour, family conflict and the protection of vulnerable children, with police continuing to handle the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Yobe: 9-Year-Old Boy Burns Stepmothers, Brothers To Death In Revenge Attack