Suspected hoodlums have burnt down the house of a 60-year-old widow, Mrs Monica Nweke, in Ebonyi State.

The widow, it was gathered, was asleep alongside her two daughters and two grandchildren when the arsonists set her building ablaze at about 1.30 am, on Tuesday.

A community source, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said the assailants set the building on fire and waited till the inferno gutted all the valuables in the home, before leaving the scene.

It was said the widow, her two daughters and grandchildren escaped death through the back door, as the inferno raged.

A human rights group In Ebonyi State, the Human Rights, Access and Defenders, in a statement, on Friday, signed by its publicity secretary, Chinasa Okereke, condemned the incident and called for justice for the widow.

The rights group said It had intelligence that no fewer than four suspects have been arrested in connection to the dastardly act.

The statement read in part, “The attention of the Human Rights, Access and Defenders (HURIDE), has been drawn to the inhuman act perpetrated by hired hoodlums against an innocent widow in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State.

“This house (Photos attached) belongs to a 60-year-old widow from the Ogboji community in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State. Hoodlums attacked the house, looted virtually everything and immediately set the building on fire and waited until it was completely burnt down before they left. The attackers are suspected to have been sponsored by some big politicians in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State, who have been having issues with Activist Sampson Oko Nweke, the state chairman of the Human Rights, Access and Defenders whose mother’s house is so burnt.

“Information got to HURIDE that the ugly incident happened in the early hours of 30^th April 2023 around 1 am. It was reported that our chairman’s mother, her two daughters and two grandchildren were all sleeping inside the house when the hoodlums attacked and were shooting directly into the house. But God saved them from being burnt alive as they managed to escape through the backdoor.

“However, a confirmed report says that police have swung into action following a petition signed by the victim and fortunately, some of the perpetrators have been arrested while others at large are still being searched for. Those arrested so far are Monday Nweke Ote, Samuel Itumo Egbara and Adindu Nwigwe Oke and one other.”

Efforts to reach the Ebonyi State Police Command for comment, failed, on Friday.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Faleye Olaleye, directed our correspondent to the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Onome, who in turn refused to pick up calls put across to her mobile. She was also yet to reply to messages sent to her line as of the time of filing this report, on Friday. (The PUNCH)

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