‘Man who sets self, girlfriend ablaze acted wickedly’

A close friend of the man who allegedly set himself and girlfriend ablaze in Makurdi metropolis at the weekend, Teryima Ajagua, has described the deceased action as, “ultimate wickedness.”

Daily Trust reports that the deceased whose name was given as Nicodemus Nomyange had on Saturday evening bought fuel which he used to ignite fire on himself and his girlfriend identified as Priscilla Shiminenge Pam.

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It was learnt that the man died on the spot while the lady gave up the ghost shortly after following the severe burns sustained from the fire.

Friend of the deceased, Ajagua, who spoke to our correspondent on Monday at the premises of Millienum Guest House popularly known as Feed Africa on Edward Ujege’s street in High Level area of Makurdi where they(Ajagua and decessed) both worked until the unfortunate incident happened said he still could not come to terms with the actions of the late man.

Ajagua said he was with the deceased who was manager at the hotel until 12:00noon on Saturday when he (Ajagua) excused himself to take a nap so as to enable him rest well to perform his night duties, being a security worker at the hotel.

He however informed that while they chatted before he excused himself, the deceased man had called Priscilla to tell her that he would be at her house, not far from the hotel and that she should prepare him food to eat.

“We were always together and even that same Saturday, we were together until 12:00noon. He didn’t confide anything about this incident to me.

“It’s a really sad thing. It was purely an act of wickedness not that he was mentally unstable as some people alleged. He went to her house and did the unimaginable,” he said.

Ajagua further intimated that nearly a month ago he had accompanied the deceased man to his village during which he sent his wife packing on account that he wanted to marry Priscilla but that the lady had consistently maintained she would not marry him.

He noted that his late friend was a good fellow and that he was however obsessive about Priscilla, a nurse, adding that might have led him to perpetrate the wicked act.

“I was sleeping when my wife raised the alarm that my friend was burning at the home of Priscilla. When I took a bike and got to the scene, I was shocked to meet the house on fire and my friend and Priscilla burning inside,” Ajagua added.