The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a man, identified as Lawal Faruq, for allegedly setting his former girlfriend on fire at a military barracks in Ibadan, the state capital.
Police spokesperson Adewale Osifeso confirmed the incident on Thursday, saying an investigation was underway. “Investigation is ongoing,” Osifeso said in a brief message.
According to reports, the suspect attacked his ex-girlfriend, identified as Omolola Hassan, after their relationship ended. A counterinsurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, who shared details of the case on X, said Faruq claimed they had taken an oath never to separate.
Witnesses said Faruq poured petrol on Hassan and set her ablaze in a fit of rage. Military personnel at the barracks quickly intervened, extinguished the flames, and rushed the victim to Yawiri Hospital in Akobo for treatment. The suspect was immediately taken into custody.
Incidents of violence linked to failed relationships have been rising across Nigeria. In July 2025, PUNCH Metro reported that a University of Port Harcourt student, Cynthia Chukwundah, set her lover on fire during an argument over a pregnancy dispute. The man later died from his injuries.
In another case reported in January 2023, a middle-aged man in Rivers State strangled and burned his partner after accusing her of infidelity. Similarly, in April 2023, police in Ogun State arrested a 43-year-old man who set his ex-lover’s apartment ablaze after she refused to reconcile.
These incidents highlight a growing trend of domestic violence across the country, often fueled by emotional distress and unresolved relationship conflicts.
