Mentally Ill Man Arrested for Burning Grandmother to Death in Jigawa State

The Jigawa State Police Command has arrested a 26-year-old man, Nura Mas’ud, for allegedly setting his 60-year-old grandmother, Zuwaira Muhammad, ablaze in Mu’azu village, Dan Gwanki ward, Sule Tankarkar Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

The incident occurred on October 8, 2024, at approximately 4:00 PM, when Mas’ud arrived at his family home with a petrol canister, doused his grandmother with the fuel, and then set her on fire. The elderly woman sustained severe burns and later succumbed to her injuries while receiving treatment at a local hospital. A medical doctor certified her death, and her remains were released to the family for burial in accordance with Islamic customs.

According to the Public Relations Officer for the Jigawa State Police Command, DSP Lawan Adam, Mas’ud was promptly apprehended by a team of detectives from the Sule Tankarkar Division and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further inquiry. During questioning, Mas’ud confessed to the crime, citing that he was provoked by his grandmother’s repeated comments about his physical appearance and health.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that Mas’ud suffers from mental illness and had been undergoing treatment at Kazaure Psychiatric Hospital. He alleged that his grandmother’s comments, despite his warnings, led him to commit the act.

The Jigawa State Commissioner of Police, CP A.T. Abdullahi, has directed the SCID to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the case and ensure that the suspect is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, aiming to deter similar offenses in the future).