A minor simply identified as Testimony has been burnt to death in Ondo town, the headquarters of Ondo Local Government Area of Ondo State, after her guardian allegedly locked her up in an apartment.
It was gathered that the deceased, a mentally-challenged child, was locked up inside the bungalow located at the Samakinwa area of the town by her guardian who headed to the church for a service on Sunday.
A source told Daily Trust that the tragic incident occurred around 4:00 p.m when a fire sparked from one of the rooms where the 9-year-old was kept.
“The inferno engulfed the building, destroying several properties belonging to the occupants. Tragically, the young girl was trapped inside and burned beyond recognition.
“Frantic efforts by residents, especially the youths in the area, to rescue her, were unsuccessful as the door to the room was locked,” he said.
He explained that sympathisers gained access into the apartment through the window to recover the charred remains of the girl.
Victor Olowolagba, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Yaba Division, who confirmed the sad incident, said a team of police officers had visited the apartment to evacuate the remains of the deceased.
Olowolagba, a Chief Supritendent of Police (CSP), also confirmed to our reporter that four persons, including the guardian, had been invited for interrogation.
“The reason is to help in our investigation and as part of efforts to determine the exact cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the child’s death,” he said.
While expressing grief over the incident, a youth leader in the area, Akinbinuade Akinyemi, lamented over fire outbreaks in the community.(Daily trust)
