Police Detain 80-Year-Old Man Over Fire That Destroyed Family House in Imo

An 80-year-old man, identified as Mr Cyril Duru, has been taken into police custody in Imo State following allegations that he deliberately set a family house ablaze in Umueze Orogwe, Owerri West Local Government Area.

The incident, which destroyed a six-room building with a parlour, reportedly stemmed from a long-running dispute among family members over the ownership of the property.

A family member, Mr Uche Duru, told journalists that residents were shocked when flames suddenly engulfed the building, leaving the structure completely razed and properties lost.

According to him, the family is still struggling to understand how the fire started, describing the incident as devastating.

However, Mr Cyril Duru has denied responsibility for the fire. While speaking to journalists, he accused his late brother’s wife, Mrs Marita Chiayalam Duru, and her children of causing the inferno through alleged unsafe use of a gas cooker inside the house.

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He claimed he had repeatedly warned them against using gas appliances in the building due to the risk involved, but said his warnings were ignored.

Mrs Chiayalam Duru, however, strongly refuted the allegation, accusing her late husband’s brother of orchestrating the incident.

She alleged that Mr Cyril had, on several occasions, threatened to kill members of her family and burn down the house following disagreements over ownership of the property.

According to her, on the night before the fire, she saw Mr Cyril with a bottle allegedly containing petrol. She said he dismissed her concerns, claiming the substance was kerosene.

“We woke up the next morning to see the entire house on fire. Everything we owned was destroyed, and attempts to salvage our belongings failed because of the intensity of the inferno,” she said.

Mrs Chiayalam Duru further stated that the house was a joint family project built through collective contributions, countering claims that the building belonged solely to her husband’s brother.

She added that the family had lived peacefully for years until recent disputes arose, alleging that Mr Cyril had threatened to destroy the house in order to sell the land.

Corroborating her account, one of the village heads, Nze Ukachi Nzeka, told journalists that community youths who attempted to put out the fire were allegedly prevented from doing so by Mr Cyril.

Police authorities are yet to issue an official statement as investigations into the incident continue.