Landlord sets six youths ablaze for gambling and smoking hemp on his premises

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a middle-aged man, Mukaila Adebesin, for setting ablaze six people in Ita Balogun Compund, Ago-Oko, Abeokuta.

The victims are Adesanya, 20, Sulaiman Adebesin, 20, Saburi Seteolu 18, Raheem Bello 19, Azeez Alabi 20, and Kola Sodeinde 19.

It was gathered that the victims were allegedly set ablaze by Adebesin because they were gambling and smoking Indian hemp on his premises.

A witness, who pleaded anonymity, said Adebesin, a commercial bus driver, had just returned from an outing when he saw the six youths in his compound.

He said, “Their activities made the driver engage them in an argument. As the talks became heated, Adebesin reached for a can of petrol which he emptied on them.

“The victims attempted to flee when it dawned on them that the liquid poured on them was petrol.

“But they caught fire from a stick of the Indian hemp being smoked by one of them. They suffered high degree burns due to the incident.”

Adebesin, who is currently being detained at Oke-Itoku Police Station, was said to have turned himself in to the police immediately after the incident .

It was gathered that other youths in the area, on learning of the development, stormed Adebesin’s compound, and vandalised his apartment and injured his wife who is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Abeokuta.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said that investigations had already commenced into the matter.