Land dispute: 9-year-old dies as man sets neighbor’s house on fire in Adamawa

A nine-year-old child has died and four other children severely burnt after their room was set on fire in Adamawa State.

The five are children of one Daniel Cha’ama in Mubi Local Government Area, who is said to have been having a land dispute with one Nicodemus Ajaku who also lives in the area.

Nicodemus Ajaku allegedly set on fire the room in which Cha’ama’s children were sleeping in what has been said to be a case of mistaken identity.

Neighbours said Nicodemus, now at large, mistook the children’s room for that of Cha’ama himself, Cha’ama being his real target.

Nicodemus who is of Vimtim, a village in Mubi North LGA, allegedly missed his mission by torching the room in the compound of Daniel Cha’ama where the children were sleeping, thus killing nine-year-old Chimba Daniel and leaving four other victims with severe burns.

The other children, said to be badly burnt, are named as Dida Daniel, Isaac Daniel, Nglacha Daniel and Emmanuel Hyeldinga.

DAILY POST gathered on Tuesday that Nicodemus and Cha’ama had been having dispute over a land and were even in court twice.

Witnesses said that Ajaku, after perpetuating the arson attack in Mubi, fled the village and has remained at large.

Little Chimba Daniel reportedly died due to severity of the burns he suffered as he was being driven for care to the Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital in the state capital, Yola.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Adamawa State, SP Suleiman Nguroje, has assured that the culprit would be fished out and prosecuted.

Nguroje said also that the state Commissioner of Police, CP Morris Dankwambo had directed his command to assist the victims now receiving treatment.