I am a driver and I’ve been dating Chinwe for the past five years. We had little quarrel and we stopped dating. I meet Cynthia who is a prostitute and dated her for just one month. We separated one month after because at times she would be chasing me with a knife. I couldn’t bear it and so I went back to settle with my former girlfriend. Cynthia didn’t give up as she threatened that she was going to deal with us. She even threatened to pour acid on me. Being a driver, I travelled the day Cynthia burnt my girlfriend. It was one of my neighbours that called me to say that my house was on fire and that somebody poured fuel under the door and it exploded and burnt my girlfriend who was sleeping in the room; that they have rescued her through the window. When I got home, I saw that all my property had been burnt to ashes. My girlfriend was hospitalized because she sustained injuries from the fire. But I am determined and I have promised God that with the condition of my  girlfriend that I am still going to marry her.

“I started dating Chika when he had misunderstanding with his former girlfriend, Chinwe.We dated for one month and then he told me that he was no longer interested in marrying me. Chika is owing me N12,000.  When we had a quarrel, I did not threaten him with a knife. I only used the knife to deflate his tyres.I have quarreled with Chinwe several times. I sent her a  text message to leave my boyfriend. Because she threatened  me, I also threatened her that  she will never enjoy the relationship. I don’t  know anything about who  took fuel to the house of her boyfriend and burnt  the house. On that fateful day, Chika called my phone at night  and said that I should meet him at Emene junction. I was out waiting for him when the policemen from the State CID arrested me.  I didn’t know anything about the incident. I only know we have traded words.

I am still shocked at what happened. I regret dating Chika as I have been turned to something else now. I saw  Cynthia Onah and  Chukwuegbo Obiora after they had poured  fuel under the door and fire was everywhere. I was calling him for help. It was when I was calling  for help through the other window that  I saw  Cynthia Onah  and Obiora Chkwuegbo  running away and I was shouting for help until the neighbours broke one of the windows and carried me out from the window. My relationship with Chika is over. I am in pains and agony. I didn’t know what to do. I was sleeping and suddenly I saw smoke and it exploded and caught fire. I could have been burnt to ashes if not for the neighbours who broke through the window and rescued me,”

“At the moment search and rescue is ongoing on the river. I will give the details of the incident later, but the agency has dispatched its officers to assist the villagers in the rescue efforts,” he said.

“I received the information late in the night that a boat had capsized and 42 persons have drowned in the incident, while rescue operation is ongoing. “We believe that the boat was overloaded because the boat’s capacity was put at 60 passengers, but over 150 passengers were said to be on board during the incident.“The debris in the swollen river may also have been responsible for the incident,’’ Ndako said.