Mallama Meimunat Opaluwa Sani, the 75-year-old sister of the Attah Igala, His Royal Majesty, Alaji Mathew Opaluwa, has been burnt to death by suspected arsonists at Oketekwe in Idah Local Government Area of Kogi State.
She was set ablaze alongside her daughter and granddaughter, identified as Hajara, who also died in the incident.
The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Thursday.
The assailants were said to have invaded the residence of Sani, who was bestowed with the title of Akwuma Attah Igala in 2023 by Attah Igala, with petrol, sprayed the house and then torched it.
While Sani and Hajara reportedly died on the spot, her daughter died in the hospital on Friday.
Spokesman of the Kogi State Police Command, William Aya, confirmed the incident on Friday.
He said: “Someone came to the station and reported that there was a fire outbreak in one of the rooms in the house in their family compound or so.
“So, when they rushed to the place, they found three people.
“A five-year-old girl was burnt to death while two elderly persons were rushed to the hospital.
“One died yesterday (Thursday) and the information I got today (Friday) is that the third person died today.
“We have commenced an investigation into the matter.”
The Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, also confirmed the development in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Lizzy Okoji, on Friday in Abuja.
The statement said: “It is with a heavy heart that I condole with our father, HRM, Alaji Mathew Opaluwa and the royal family over the deaths of his sister and her granddaughter, whose lives were taken most painfully.
“I also commiserate with the entire people of Igala Kingdom at this time because this is a loss to every one of us.
“I call on security agencies to investigate the alleged arson and bring the perpetrators of this act to book so that it would serve as a deterrent to others. Such acts of sacrilege must be discouraged in our land.
“I pray that Almighty Allah grant the souls of the late Mallama Meimunat Opaluwa, and her granddaughter, Onechojo Aljanah Firdaus.
“I also pray Almighty Allah grants the family the heart to bear the loss.”