By Deborah Nnamdi
Operatives of the Oyo State Police Command have arrested a man, identified as Lawal Faruq, for allegedly setting his former lover, Omolola Hassan, ablaze during a violent attack inside a military barracks in Ibadan.
The shocking incident, which occurred earlier in the week, reportedly followed the breakdown of the couple’s relationship.
According to counterinsurgency expert Zagazola Makama, who shared details of the case on X (formerly Twitter), the suspect confessed that he and the victim had taken an oath never to separate. “The victim, Omolola Hassan, was reportedly doused in petrol and set on fire by the suspect, who was enraged over the end of their relationship,” Makama wrote.
Eyewitnesses said soldiers at the barracks quickly intervened and extinguished the flames before rushing the victim to Yawiri Hospital in Akobo, Ibadan, for urgent medical attention.
Sources said Faruq became violent after Hassan decided to end their relationship, leading to the attack.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command, SP Adewale Osifeso, said the suspect has been arrested and that a full investigation is underway. “Investigation is ongoing,” Osifeso stated in a brief message.
Meanwhile, the victim remains hospitalised as authorities continue to probe the circumstances surrounding the attack.
