A man that inherited his late father’s house, Idemudia Obamwonyi, has allegedly set the building ablaze over refusal of tenants in the building to pay.
The Nation on Thursday, February 22, 2018, reported that over 20 shops in the building located at Iwebo lane behind Oba Market in Benin City, Edo State, were razed.
Idemudia was said to have been heard shouting telling people to allow the house burn since he does get any money from the house.
Many of the shop owners have locked their jobs before the fire started.
A resident in the area, Ifaluyi Obasogie, said it was unheard of for a landlord to set his own house ablaze.
“We saw people holding him and he was saying let the house burn, I don’t get any money from it.”
A shop owner who gave his name as Justice Aigbekhan said they have paid their rent but Idemudia kept asking for money claiming that he wants to perform his father’s burial.
“If they are having family issues, they should go and solve it. It is not for them to put us in trouble.”
Another shop owner, Cynthia Obaseki said she lost goods worth N5m to the inferno.
It was gathered that the police has arrested the said Idemudia.
