Father Sets Himself Ablaze in Rivers

A report by Punch Metro has it that a middle-aged man, who was simply identified as King, on Sunday, set himself ablaze in what many believed was an accomplished suicide mission.

The incident happened inside the victim’s room in Odaga community, Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.

It was gathered that King, was said to have locked himself inside his room before setting himself on fire.

The incident, which had left the entire community worried, happened at dawn, a development that made it difficult for the victim to be rescued.

It was learnt that by the time neighbours noticed the smoke oozing from the deceased’s room, the fire incident had intensified which made it impossible for anybody to go in.

Neighbours had to break down the window to rescue the victim who was already unconscious.

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Efforts to save the life of King, proved abortive as he died while being rushed to a nearby clinic for medical attention.

A relative of the victim, who simply identified himself as Pastor Duke, told Southern City News that King could have possibly taken his life out of frustration as he had lost his male siblings and recently his mother, whose remains were still in the mortuary.

The incident, according to Duke, aggravated his smoking and drinking habit, adding that Duke explained that the deceased who returned home on Sunday morning was drunk while holding a lit cigarette.

Duke added the fire could have started from the cigarette he was smoking before he slept off.

He said:-

“King was a father of three and his wife is eight months pregnant; he was the only surviving male of his house and to make matters worse, he just lost his mother, who is still in the mortuary as we speak.

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“It is possible that he was frustrated, because lately he has increased his smoking and drinking habits and is mostly drunk.

“That night, King came home drunk and was smoking a cigarette, and I think the fire from the cigarette must have caught his mattress, which eventually caused the fire.”