Oluwaseyi Babatola, 26, says he is being haunted daily by the memories of the children that died along with their grandmother, mother and uncle, when he set their apartment on fire on April 15, 2015, at Sabongari, Bwari, Abuja, Punch reports.
Explaining what led to the tragedy, Babatola said he started dating Janet, a divorcee, sometime ago, adding that he supported her and the children financially. The relationship developed problems because Janet was constantly denying him sex and always taunting him.
He said, “Janet said my mother told her that I suffer from hernia, and that she could not date me; she called me a ‘mugu’ (fool), and said she had chopped my money. So, I went to where she was charging the phone I bought for her and took it.
She attacked me and bit my chest. Her cousin, Taphael, also came in and pushed me down and held me there while she beat me. After I left the house, Janet’s younger sister called me and abused me, saying they would deal with me if I come to the house again.
On the night of April 15, around 11pm, I went to Janet’s room and saw her sleeping, as the window was opened because there was no power supply. I went to the bathroom, where she kept a gallon of fuel and poured it into the room; the room caught fire from a lighted lantern.
I headed for the bush to hang myself, but my phone suddenly rang and my brother told me that our house just got burnt; I told him I did it and that I was about to commit suicide. He said I should not, and persuaded me to report to the police.
I thought it was only Janet that was in the room, I didn’t know the children were there. I thought they had gone for a vigil with their grandmother who attended vigil every Thursday. I can’t get them off my mind, they haunt me every time.” A senior police officer said Babatola would be charged to court soon. Cc: Punchng