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Arsonists Burn Family, Kill Mother, Two Children In Lagos

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4 hours ago

Dec 2, 2024.

Arsonists Burn Family, Kill Mother, Two Children In Lagos

A devastating arson attack has claimed the lives of a 22-year-old fashion designer, Eniola Oduse, and her two children, four-year-old Eri and two-year-old Onoara, in the Ita Marun community of Ibeju Lekki, Lagos State.

The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, November 26, has left Eniola’s husband, Kehinde, 25, critically injured and fighting for his life in a hospital.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Eyewitness accounts reveal that the assailants, yet to be identified, struck at around 2 a.m., pouring petrol around the family’s apartment and through an open window before igniting the fire.

The family, asleep at the time, awoke to the smell of petrol. Kehinde managed to escape to seek help, but his wife and children were tragically engulfed in the blaze.

According to Taiwo, Kehinde’s twin sister, the arsonists had targeted the family’s room directly. “When they saw the window open, they sprinkled petrol inside.

The smell woke Eniola, who alerted Kehinde, but before they could react, the attackers lit the fire and fled,” she recounted.

Arsonists Burn Family, Kill Mother, Two Children In Lagos

Kehinde, suffering burns, ran to alert neighbors. However, by the time help arrived, Eniola and the children were found at the entrance of the house, the mother clutching her children in a futile attempt to save them.

Razaq, a family member, disclosed that both Eniola and Kehinde were initially turned away from multiple hospitals due to the severity of their burns. They eventually received treatment after hours of searching for medical assistance, but Eniola succumbed to her injuries on Thursday morning.

The family alleges the arson was linked to disputes over land in the community, an issue that had reportedly led to previous attacks and the death of Kehinde’s father four months earlier.

Kehinde had returned home that Monday to spend the night with his family after days of staying away for safety.

The charred remains of the apartment and the children’s bodies bore witness to the horrifying incident, sparking outrage in the community. Efforts to reach Lagos State police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin for comments were unsuccessful.

Eniola and her children have since been buried, while Kehinde’s fate remains uncertain as the family awaits justice.