TARABA – A 21-year-old Muslim man burnt himself to death in Taraba’s capital city of Jalingo on Friday January 10th 2014.
Mansur Tanko took his life following a disagreement with his father Tanko Mijinyawa who disapproved of him marrying a Christian girl named Blessing.
According to an eyewitness, Alhaji Jibrin Bala, Tanko approached his father to seek permission to marry Blessing but his father kicked against the union saying it was a wrong choice. His father advised him to marry another girl but Tanko said he couldn’t survive without Blessing.
Tanko immediately went to a corner of the compound and poured petrol all over his body and set himself ablaze, the eyewitness added.
He said: “When we suddenly saw fire, everybody ran toward the corner of the compound, only to see Tanko burning. The father and other people in the compound tried to rescue Tanko from the fire, but failed as the flame was much and we could not move near.”
Tanko’s father, Mijinyawa, tried to rescue him but all efforts were unsuccessful. He is currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, for injuries sustained in the process of trying to save his son.
The Taraba Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Kwaji, confirmed the incident and said the Jalingo Division of the police has commenced investigation into the matter.
