A nine-year-old boy has been arrested in Yobe State after allegedly setting fire to his family home, resulting in the deaths of his two stepmothers and two younger sisters.

The incident occurred at Ruga Badali Fulani Settlement in Karasuwa Local Government Area of the state.

The victims were identified as 28-year-old Bilkisu Bukar, her 22-year-old co-wife Salma, and Bilkisu’s daughters, eight-month-old Zainab and three-year-old Hafsat.

The victims were reportedly burnt beyond recognition and later buried according to Islamic rites.

Police Investigate What Was Initially Thought to Be Fire Accident

The incident was initially treated within the community as a domestic fire accident.

However, the Yobe State Police Command said an investigation lasting more than a month established that the fire was allegedly deliberately started.

Police spokesman ASP Yusuf Adamu-Ali said investigators discovered that the fire had been set by the nine-year-old son of the head of the household, Abubakar Idi.

The boy was subsequently paraded alongside his father at the Police Criminal Investigation Department in Damaturu.

Boy Allegedly Says He Wanted Revenge

During an interview with journalists, the boy allegedly said he set the house on fire after his father beat him over the sale of one of the family’s fowls.

According to the account attributed to him, he took one of the family’s fowls and sold it. After the incident was reported to his father, he was beaten.

He allegedly said he bought matches the following day and set the house ablaze while his two stepmothers and younger sisters were asleep.

The boy reportedly said he raised an alarm after the fire started and people arrived to attempt a rescue, but he did not reveal that he had started the fire until several days later.

He was subsequently arrested by the police.

Community Had Suspected the Father

Residents said there had been tension within the family before the tragedy, with frequent disagreements reportedly taking place.

One resident told Daily Trust that some members of the community initially suspected the boy’s father after the deaths because of the circumstances surrounding the fire.

The suspicion reportedly increased after the boy fled when he learned that his father had been questioned by security personnel.

Authorities later tracked down the child as the investigation continued.

Psychologists Point to Family and Emotional Factors

Psychologists who commented on the incident said several factors could potentially have contributed to the child’s behaviour, while cautioning against reducing the incident to a single cause.

Alhaji Ahmadu Ibrahim, a psychologist and Head of the Department of Sociology at Yobe State University, described the reported action as a possible case of “transfer of aggression.”

He linked the incident to alleged maltreatment, family tensions and the boy’s relationship with his stepfamily.

Another psychologist, Dr Mahmoud Sarki of the Federal University Dutse, said the punishment the boy allegedly received could have acted as an immediate trigger, particularly if he experienced it as humiliation, anger or injustice.

Sarki also pointed to factors including parental separation, adjustment to a stepfamily and possible feelings of rejection or emotional distress.

Both experts stressed the importance of investigating the wider family circumstances surrounding the incident rather than focusing solely on punishment.

Lawyers Debate Criminal Responsibility

The case has also raised questions about the legal treatment of a child accused of a serious offence.

Former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Damaturu Branch, Saidu Mohammed, said a nine-year-old cannot be subjected to criminal punishment under the applicable Penal Code provisions.

He argued that authorities should instead investigate the circumstances that may have contributed to the alleged act and focus on rehabilitation and prevention.

Another lawyer, Hameed Ajibola Jimoh, said the child’s age was legally significant and cautioned against treating him like an adult criminal suspect.

Jimoh noted that Yobe State has a Child Protection Law and said the relevant child-justice framework should guide how the matter is handled.

He also called for proper examination of the circumstances surrounding any statement or confession obtained from the child.

Lawyer Says Child Justice Framework Should Apply

Abuja-based lawyer Abdurrahman Salis offered a different legal interpretation, saying that under the Penal Code applicable in northern Nigeria, a child above seven but below 12 could potentially face criminal responsibility if the child is found to have sufficient maturity and understanding of the consequences of the conduct.

However, he stressed that a child accused of an offence should not be subjected to the same judicial process as an adult.

Salis said proceedings involving children should be handled within the appropriate child or family justice framework, with safeguards to protect the child’s identity and privacy.

He also urged police authorities to comply with child-protection laws throughout the investigation.

Police Say Investigation Continues

The police said the case would be handled in accordance with the law despite the suspect’s age.

The deaths of the four family members remain under investigation, while legal authorities are expected to determine the appropriate process for dealing with the child.

The allegations against the boy have not been established by a court.