Boyfriend set ablaze by 18-year-old girlfriend dies in Benue

Chidinma, a patent medicine dealer who just returned from Christmas and New Year holiday last Saturday had been in the village since Wednesday, 23rd December, 2020.

Trouble started shortly after Esther was told by her friends that Chidinma travelled to his village to pay a pride price of another girl he intended to marry, an allegation he vehemently denied when he was confronted by Esther but she was not satisfied with his answer.

Consequently, Esther went to an unknown filling station with a gallon on Sunday evening to buy premium motor spirit (PMS) commonly known as petrol.

Esther came to his house in the early hours of Sunday, stayed with him and pretended as if all was well. They ate food and played together throughout the night until both of them fell asleep.

She then woke up few minutes after 2am and went straight to where she kept the fuel opposite Chidinma’s house, poured the fuel round the room right inside while Chidinma was still sleeping. She ignited the room with matches and ran away immediately.

Chidinma was burnt beyond recognition, managed to come out, shouting that Esther has killed him and was quickly rushed to Federal Medical Centre Apir, Makurdi.

While giving details of the tragic event, an eyewitness and a neighbour to the deceased, Rose Stephen said, they perceived smell and sound of fire around 2am on Monday; they came out and discovered that it was Chidinma’s room that was burning. They did all they could but couldn’t stop the fire from burning him.

She further said both of them were having issues and were always going to police station in 2020, adding that Chidinma told Esther that he was fed up with her bad characters and was no longer interested in her before he travelled for Christmas and New Year.

Rose said she was surprised seeing them together shortly after Chidinma’s return from the village from Saturday till on Sunday.

Corroborating the story, another eyewitness and one of the closest friends to the deceased, Abraham Ebute said, Chidinma clearly told Esther he was no longer interested in the relationship with her because of her unruly behaviour and criminal tendency.

Chidinma was once arrested because she stole a handset belonging to an Air force officer and was traced to Chidinma’s house.

Ebute added that, Esther also stole Chidi’s phone before he travelled home and promised returning it to him after his arrival, not knowing that her plan was to kill him.

He said, he rushed to Chidinma’s house along with his other friends only to discover that he was burnt to death

When contacted, the Police Public Relationship Officer, PPRO, Benue State Police Command, Catherine Anene confirmed the tragic incident and the eventual arrest of the suspect Esther. The PPRO said investigation is still ongoing to unravel the ugly situation.

Charred remains of mattresses, pillows, cloths and other materials belonging to the deceased were seen littered outside the compound at press time. Chidinma’s body was being conveyed to Nssuka by his parents who were already in Makurdi as at the time of filing this report.

According to the police, Omah died from the burns he suffered from the attack. The police had confirmed that the 18-year-old girlfriend, Alex Esther, had set Omah’s apartment on Zaki Biam Street in Makurdi ablaze around 2am on Monday.

Giving an update on the incident on Tuesday, the spokesperson for the state police command, DSP Catherine Anene, said Omah died around 10pm on Monday at the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, where he was receiving treatment.

Neighbours said Esther must have drugged Omah before spraying his one-room residence with fuel and set it ablaze while he was asleep.

It was gathered that the suspect had been transferred to the state police headquarters for further investigation.