‘How my ex-lover set my house and girlfriend on fire’

Mohammed Yusuf, 25, is still struggling to come to terms with the fate that befell him recently when his ex-lover took out her anger on his current girlfriend and his property.

All gloomy, he said he fell in love with Jemila Ibrahim, 19, about a year ago.

Yusuf, a resident of Monkey village area of Festac, said their affair was going well for some months before he discovered that she had not been faithful to him.

This new twist, according to him, strained their relationship and he met and fell in love with another girl, Rabi.

“When Jemila got to know of this, she started with subtle threats. I did not take her seriously until on 18 November, 2020, when she carried out her threat,” he said.

Yusuf, still gripped with shock, said he was not at home, when Jemila, with her friend, Fatima Mohammed, set his house ablaze while his new lover was asleep.

“Rabi died before she could be rushed to the hospital while all my belongings were consumed by fire. It was during the investigation that we got to know that Jemila was responsible for the dastardly act,” he told the police team.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the 19-year-old suspect was arrested along with her friend for allegedly setting her exboyfriend’s house on fire.

He said the incident occurred on November 18, 2020 at about 5.30 pm.

Adejobi said Yusuf had hint of the incident and rushed to the house where he met his house on fire.

He said Mohammed had accused the former lover, Jemila, of infidelity before they broke up and claimed he later met and fell in love with his new lover, Rabi, who died in the inferno.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, who condemned the crime, has ordered that the matter be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, for a discreet investigation.

He also vowed to go after those who engage in crimes and social vices in order to rid Lagos State of criminals and criminality.

The police boss urged Lagosians to stop taking laws into their hands.