Father Who Set Five Stepchildren Ablaze Speaks

Joseph Ojo, the 64-year-old who set his five stepchildren ablaze in Ondo has given reason for his action.

Ojo was reported to have on Saturday set the room where the stepchildren were sleeping on fire at his residence at Fagun, Ondo town, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government.

Ojo confessed when he was paraded at the state headquarters of the Nigeria Police in Akure, Ondo State.

According to him, the stepchildren used to join their mother to beat him and they also starve him of food despite being the one giving the money for feeding.

Ojo said the situation infuriated him, after which he siphoned petrol from his chainsaw (felling machine) and poured it in the children’s room before setting it ablaze.

Funmi Odunlami, Police Public Relations Officer in the State, disclosed that three of the five children had died due to the injuries sustained in the incident.

Odunlami added that Ojo had kept his twins in another room before carrying out the act.