A 64-year-old father, Ojo Joseph, who set ablaze his five stepchildren in Ondo town, Ondo State, was on Wednesday paraded at the state police command headquarters, Akure.
Ojo revealed the reason behind his decision to set his five stepchildren ablaze.
He told newsmen that his stepchildren often joined their mother to beat him.
The suspect also disclosed that his wife and the stepchildren were in the habit of starving him, despite being the one giving the money for feeding.
According to him, the situation infuriated him, after which he siphoned petrol from his chainsaw (felling machine) and poured it in the children’s room before setting it ablaze.
Ojo had on Saturday set the room where the stepchildren were sleeping on fire at his residence at Fagun, Ondo town, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Funmi Odunlami, disclosed that three of the five children had died due to the injuries sustained in the incident.
Odunlami added that Ojo had kept his twins in another room before carrying out the act.
