Tragedy struck at Chaza community in Suleja last weekend when a woman, Ngozi James, allegedly killed three children of her husband’s senior wife after setting ablaze the house in which they were sleeping.
Mrs. Bosede James, mother of the children, Monday James, 11, Gabriel James,9, and Rebecca James,5, was said to have left them sleeping in the room and went for a night vigil in her church when the incident happened.
The Divisional Police Officer, Suleja ‘B’ division, Tunde Kabiru, a Superintendent of Police confirmed the incident, saying his men located the scene of the incident while on night patrol on that day but initially registered it as a fire outbreak. He said during investigations, the police learnt about the suspect’s relationship with the mother of the late children and invited her for interrogation the following day.
The police officer said the suspect immediately confessed to the crime, adding that the matter has been transferred to the State CID headquarters Minna as a homicide case.
When our reporter visited the scene of the incident yesterday, the house was deserted but a neighbour of the family, Maman Habu, referred him to one Pastor Israel Razak, the owner of the church, where the mother of the kids was when the incident happened.
When contacted, the Pastor, Evangelist Israel Razak of the Redeemer Glorious Ministries, Chaza, said the unfortunate incident happened when his ministry was holding a three-day special prayers, adding that the late children attended the opening ceremony of the activities.
He said the children were surprisingly absent on the night of rounding off of the event and that was the day the incident happened.
“We were praying around 2am when a woman broke into our midst and informed us about the tragedy. We rushed to the scene where we met with other sympathizers, who have put off the fire. We took the children to Suleja General Hospital and the eldest, Monday, was the most affected, perhaps due to the struggle he made as well as rendering assistance to his younger ones,’’ he narrated.
He said the doctors on duty concentrate on the younger one, Rebecca , who seem to have more chances of survival, adding that they were planning to take her to University of Abuja teaching hospital when she gave up.
The pastor said the mother of the children, Mrs. Bosede James, had left for her home town, Ikare in Ondo state, and is expected to return on Monday.