BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – The Police Command in Bauchi State, has confirmed the tragic death of a middle aged woman, who set herself ablaze inside the family house of late the Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, in Bauchi.
The woman, who was alleged to be mentally unstable, was however rescued by people around the area who noticed the incident and rushed her to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, where she later died from first degree burns injuries.
The late woman, known to be the daughter of a late Sharia court Judge in Bauchi, was believed to have been married and had children before the unfortunate incident as narrated by an eye witness.
An eye witness said that on the fateful day, the woman alighted from a commercial tricycle with a gallon in her hand and entered the house demanding to see Yelwa Abubakar Balewa, one of the daughters of the Late Prime Minister and chairperson of BASOVCA.
The eye witness further said that when she was told that Yelwa was not at home, she then moved to the main entrance of the house, poured the contents of the gallon, which was petrol on herself and set herself ablaze.
It was gathered that it was her shout that attracted people to the scene, and tried to put off the fire, but in the process aggravated it as they poured water on her which increased the intensity of the fire that eventually gave her a first-degree burn.
The late woman was said to have told the rescuers that she did not know how she came about the petrol neither did she know when she poured it on herself and lighted the stick of matches leading to setting herself ablaze.
A statement by CSP Mohammed Wakil, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Bauchi Command confirmed the development to our correspondent on phone, describing the situation as “most unfortunate”.
According to Wakil; “On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, directed the DPO A’ Division to conduct a discreet investigation on the development. The DPO assembled his surveillance team and moved to the scene in order to rescue her as she was still alive as at then, but with a damaged skin due to the first-degree burns.
“She was rushed to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, where she was admitted. After some time under admission, her statement was recorded.
“The Police was trying to establish the fact on the reason she had to set herself ablaze at the place she did, but on enquiry she said that she could not remember that the item in her hand was petrol, thinking that it was water.
“But by further intensified investigations, it was discovered that the woman was of unsound mind, she had mental health issues. Some neighbours and others who knew her said that she developed the illness after giving birth to her last child,” he said.
The police spokesperson also confirmed that the woman later died while receiving treatment at the hospital, adding that her remains have been released to her family.
