By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
A Seventy five years old woman, identified as Mallama Meimunat Opaluwa Sani and her grand daughter were burnt to death in her family house at Idah by yet to be arrested arsonists.
The beaded woman who was identified as Mallama Meimunat Opaluwa Sani was the Senior sister to Attah Igala, His Royal Majesty, Mathew Alaji Opaluwa
Late Mallama Meimunat was allegedly set ablaze alongside her granddaughter, Hajarat in the early hours of Thursday, Jan. 4, at her Oketekwe residence in Idah Local Government Area of the State.
A family source said: “A group of people came to the house with petrol while the grandmother was sleeping alongside her daughter and granddaughter, poured the petrol on the house and ignited a fire.
“The five-year-old granddaughter, Mama, died immediately after suffering from severe burns, while Mallama Meimunat Opaluwa Sani, along with her own daughter, was rushed to an undisclosed hospital.
Mama, later succumbed to her injuries in the hospital, while her own daughter is still fighting for her life.” The family stated.
The remains of the late Mallama Meimunat Opaluwa Sani and the five-year-old girl have been laid to rest according to Islamic rites.
Meanwhile,the Minister for Steel Development, Prince Shuaib Abubarkar Audu in a condolence message issued on his behalf by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Lizzy Okonji said that “The Honourable Minister, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu has extended his heartfelt condolences to the paramount ruler of Igala kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Alaji Mathew Opaluwa over the death of his sister, Mallama Meimunat Opaluwa-Sani and her granddaughter.”
He described the deaths of the late Mallama Opaluwa-Sani and her five-year-old granddaughter as tragic and sacrilegious.
The Minister who said the death of Mallama Opaluwa-sani, Akwuma Attah Igala was a loss to the entire Igala Kingdom, called on Security Agencies to investigate the alleged arson and bring to book the perpetrators of the heinous crime.
However,the Kogi state police command is yet to react to the incident as the police public relations officer, SP William Aya has not responded to a message sent to him and has not picked repeated calls to his mobile phone.
