Comfort Jiya, a former principal of Maryam Babangida Science College in Minna, Niger State, has been died after her son, a drug addict, set her on fire.
According to the deceased’s relatives, the tragedy occurred on Friday when she was making meals for the family at their home in Minna, the state capital, when her son, Stephen, doused her in gasoline and lit her ablaze.
A relation of the deceased who confirmed her death, said she “passed on at about 3pm at the Intensive Care Unit of the Minna General Hospital where she was rushed for medical treatment.”
“Mama Jiya, as she was fondlly called by all, died yesterday (Friday) afternoon at the Minna General Hospital where she was rushed to after her biological son, Stephen Sule Jiya, poured petrol on her and set her on fire,” the relation who did not want his name mentioned narrated to Ripples Nigeria on phone on Saturday.
“Prior to the incident, Stephen whom we all know as a drug addict, had attempted to harm Mama Jiya on several occasions but was always overpowered by people around.
“But on Friday, being Christmas Eve, he succeeded in killing his mother as there was nobody around to restrain him,” he added.
Another family member who also confirmed the incident said:
“The sad incident happened at the deceased residence in Darussalam Area of Kpakungu community which is on the outskirts of Minna.
“She was in the kitchen preparing food when Stephen set her on fire.
“Stephen had for long, been a drug addict and had on several occasions attempted to harm the mother through various ways but did not succeed until this time.
“His late mother was a former principal at Maryam Babangida Science College, Minna.”
Though calls to the state police spokesman, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, were not responded to at the time of this report, the killer son is said to have been arrested by operatives attached to the Niger State Police Command and will be charged to court for culpable homicide.
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