http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/21563-bombs-explode-in-maiduguri.html
By Joseph Abiodun, Maiduguri and Chris Oji, Enugu 1 hour ago

Independence day tragedies • Man sets wife, two sons ablaze

Amid the country’s celebrations of its 51st Independence anniversary yesterday, two separate bomb explosions occurred in Dalashuwari and Nganaram wards of Borno State.

In Enugu State, a man identified as Alex Ndubuisi Egeonu yesterday set his pregnant wife and two sons ablaze.

Although the number of casualties could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, it sent panic across the state.

When contacted, The Joint Task Force (JTF) spokesperson, confirmed the incident, adding that he was yet to get any report about the casualties of the blast.

Also in Maiduguri, a butcher at the Baga station market was yesterday shot dead by unknown gunmen who also made away with some money.

Similarly, his son who raised an alarm that his father had been shot was also killed by the gunmen.

The incident caused pandemonium among traders in the market as they scamper for safety.

The gun men were said to have fired gunshots in the air to scare away people as they escaped through a bush path near the market.

Egeonu’s youngest son fell into coma following injuries sustained in the inferno. He was later revived at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu after two hours, while the wife and the first son are now on danger list at the hospital.

The fleeing father of two who hails from Umunoha town in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, according to eyewitnesses, had on arrival at his container shop located at No. 61 Mount Street, Awkunanaw, Enugu, where he sells musical records and Compact Discs, asked his wife to escort him to the filling station to buy fuel.

The wife willingly complied but shortly after returning to the shop Egeonu at about 11am went to a neighbour’s shop and began to drag the owner (a woman) to his own shop claiming that she was indebted to him.

The woman shouted to attracted neighbours and passersby who promptly rescued her from the man.

"Immediately the man returned to his shop, he tied the hands of his wife and poured the fuel on the floor. He thereafter locked the wife and his two sons inside the container and threw lighted matches through the window to ignite the fire," the eyewitness said.

The pregnant woman and her two sons were severely burnt before neighbours forced the container open and brought them out.

They were rushed to the Eastern Nigeria Medical Centre where the last son reportedly died. The pregnant woman and her first son, said to be in critical condition were later transferred to the National Orthopaedic Hospital.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the incident, said the suspect took to his heels after setting his family members ablaze and has not been found.


He said that investigations had commenced to ascertain the motive of the arsonist adding that the police would do everything possible to apprehend the suspect.