Ojo Joseph, 54, was detained by the Ondo State Police Command for reportedly setting five of his stepchildren on fire.
The tragic incident occurred in the Fagun Crescent area of Ondo town, the headquarters of the state’s Ondo West Local Government Area.
According to reports, the suspect poured gasoline into his stepchildren’s room and set them on fire while they were sleeping.
According to a source in the area, the man committed the heinous act because the mother of the children allegedly denied him sex and they had misunderstandings about the matter.
According to the source, the children’s alarm drew the attention of neighbors, who rushed to the scene of the incident to save the children, but one of them was burned to death in the inferno.
The mother of the seven children was said to have escaped the inferno with her twins, but four of the children were rushed to a clinic and referred to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, for medical treatment.
Funmi Odunlami, the command’s spokesperson, confirmed the incident on Sunday, saying the man had been arrested for alleged arson and murder.
The PPRO explained that the suspect is the victims’ stepfather, not their biological father, but that he is the father of the 18-month-old twins.
Odunlami stated that an investigation into the matter had begun and that the man would be charged in court following the investigation.