A gang of area boys have reportedly set the house of a 60-year old widow, Madam Monica Nweke, ablaze in Ebonyi State.
The arsonists attacked the widow with her two daughters and two grandchildren when they were asleep around 1.30am on Tuesday but the victims were said to have escaped through the back door of the house before the fire engulfed the building.
Reasons for the area boys’ action, however, were not clear.
A resident of the area, who pleaded anonymity, said the arsonists set the widow’s house ablazed and did not leave till the building was engulfed in fire.
Meanwhile, a human rights group in Ebonyi State, the Human Rights, Access and Defenders, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Chinasa Okereke, condemned the incident.
Calling for justice for the widow, the rights group said it had intelligence that no fewer than four suspects have been arrested in connection to the dastardly act.
The statement read in part: “The attention of the Human Rights, Access and Defenders (HURIDE), has been drawn to the inhuman act perpetrated by hired hoodlums against an innocent widow in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State.
“This house (Photos attached) belongs to a 60-year-old widow from the Ogboji community in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State. Hoodlums attacked the house, looted virtually everything and immediately set the building on fire and waited until it was completely burnt down before they left. The attackers are suspected to have been sponsored by some big politicians in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State, who have been having issues with Activist Sampson Oko Nweke, the state chairman of the Human Rights, Access and Defenders whose mother’s house is so burnt.
“Information got to HURIDE that the ugly incident happened in the early hours of 30th April 2023 around 1 am. It was reported that our chairman’s mother, her two daughters and two grandchildren were all sleeping inside the house when the hoodlums attacked and were shooting directly into the house. But God saved them from being burnt alive as they managed to escape through the backdoor.
“However, a confirmed report says that police have swung into action following a petition signed by the victim and fortunately, some of the perpetrators have been arrested while others at large are still being searched for. Those arrested so far are Monday Nweke Ote, Samuel Itumo Egbara and Adindu Nwigwe Oke and one other person.”
