A Pastor and his female assistant have been killed in a fire incident in Igbogene, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State over the weekend following a case of arson carried out by a 40-years-old jealous lover, identified as Etifa Obukulubu.
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Investigation revealed that Obukulubu had erroneously believed that his girlfriend was in the house with her lover and without waiting to confirm had set the house ablaze.
Sources said Obukulubu’s girlfriend identified simply as Wilberforce had vacated the house to enable the deceased who were invited for a programme used the house for the weekend.
According to sources an enraged Obukulubu when getting to the house noticing that a male and a female were in the house came to the conclusion that it was his girlfriend and immediately brought fuel from his car and set the house ablaze.
It was gathered that the incident, which occurred at about 3am on Saturday, led to pandemonium as attempts to rescue those inside the building failed.
Findings indicated that the exit door out of the house was jammed from outside when the targeted girlfriend, Wilberforce reportedly vacated her home for the deceased pastor and his assistant who came from outside the state on an evangelical mission.
Residents of the area said the suspect unaware of the visit of the Pastor had waited for his girlfriend to come home and when he noticed that there were people in the house he got angry and did what he did.
Maybe on sighting her with a man and another girl, he got angry and set the home ablaze.
‘He waited for them to enter the house. And use fuel to set fire round the house. But he did not know that his girlfriend had left to go and sleep with another friend.’
Another resident identified simply as Vera who expressed shock over the incident said everyone in the area were sad over the development.
‘It is unfortunate that the pastor and his assistant died in the fire. I was told the pastor was invited to preach in Yenagoa and the Wilberforce offered her home for them to sleep so for them to leave early.’
Obukulubu realising that he had committed a crime took to his heels and has not been seen in the neighbourhood
Contacted on the development, the spokesman to the Bayelsa Police Command confirmed the incident and said investigation is ongoing.
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