In a particularly horrific attack, Joshua set his wife Gbemisola, 43 alight, along with her 11-year-old daughter, Dolapo. Both have been confirmed dead at an Ogun State hospital after suffering from severe burns, although his son Samson also caught up in the blaze is said to have survived.
Apparently, the incident happened on Thursday on Augustine Street, Ire Akari Estate, in the Ifo Local Government Area, Ogun State, after a disagreement between the couple. Gbemisola’s son, Joshua Babatunde, 16, who escaped by a whisker, said his stepfather had wanted his mother to sell their three-bedroom apartment but she refused.
He added: “It was the scream of my mother that woke me up. Dolapo and Samson were also set ablaze and I wanted to put out the fire when my stepfather poured petrol on me as well bit before he returned with matches, I managed to escape and reported at the Ifo Police Station.
“He was working with a factory but was sacked some months ago. He then told my mother to sell the house so that he could use the money to start a business but my mother said she would never sell the house she struggled to build."
As soon as what happened became clear, Mr Edwards fled, while the victims were admitted to Aron Hospital, a private facility in the area. Dolapo was said to have died a few minutes after she got to the hospital while the mother died on Friday.
Samson, who has burns in the head, hands and legs, is still responding to treatment. Gbemisola’s brother, Wale, said his sister had always been abused by the husband, adding that constant beatings forced her to relocate from Iyana Ipaja to Ifo.
Ogun State Police Command’s spokesperson Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the command had launched a manhunt for the killer husband. He added that the police commissioner had ordered that the suspect be fished out, stressing that he can only run but cannot hide.
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