A 45-year-old housewife identified simply as Abiodun, aka Iya Sunday has set her 86-year-old mother ablaze in Ondo town, Ondo State,
The act was allegedly motivated by a prophecy from Abiodun’s pastor, who claimed that her mother was behind her many misfortunes.
The victim, who initially survived the attack, suffered severe burns from head to toe and was admitted to an undisclosed hospital in the town. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries.
Eyewitnesses say that Abiodun visited her mother early Friday morning at about 5:00a.m. She called her mother outside, doused her with petrol, and set her on fire. The eyewitness stated, “What happened between them before the incident we don’t know. But the suspect has been arrested by police at the Enu-Owa division for further investigation.”
In her confession, Abiodun described the chilling sequence of events: “I went to my mother’s house around 4:00a.m. and sat outside. When it was 5:00a.m., I called out my mother from the house. Immediately she came out, not knowing what was happening, I poured petrol on her body and set her on fire.”
Abiodun claimed that her actions were driven by the guidance of a pastor and another woman who both told her that her mother was responsible for her predicaments. She recounted, “I went to one pastor for prayer, and he told me that my mother was behind what was happening to me. I did not believe it at first.
“My mother also took me somewhere to see a woman. After my mother left, the woman also said the same thing. I burnt my mother because of what I heard from the pastor and the woman; that I can only be free from bondage when my mother is d3ad.”
The spokesperson for the state police command, Funmi Odunlami, confirmed the incident and stated that the suspect had been arrested and that interrogation had commenced. The investigation is ongoing as authorities seek to uncover the full details of this tragic case.