The Ogun State Police Command is presently
searching for a bar manager, Mr. Bidemi
sh*ttu, who allegedly poured petrol on his 13-
year-old attendant, Ezekiel Emmanuel, and set
him ablaze. It was gathered that the manager
took the action because the teenager
reportedly stole N1,500 from him.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident
happened in the Akoka area of Ibafo, Ogun
State, on Monday, February 9. The runaway
suspect, Bidemi, who is married with children,
was the manager of Golden
Fingers Bar in the area, while Emmanuel was
one of his attendants.
Bidemi, who had accused Emmanuel of theft
on Sunday, allegedly tied the teenager’s hands
and feet in a room in his bar till Monday,
waiting for him to admit the offence.
It was gathered that on Monday, at about
11.30pm, Bidemi brought Emmanuel out to
the front of the bar, poured petrol on the boy
and set fire on him. Luckily, some residents,
who were out at the time, rescued the victim.
They were said to have rushed Emmanuel to a
private hospital in the area where he was
initially treated before he was referred to the
Lagos State University Teaching Hospital,
Ikeja, Lagos, the following day.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the matter was
reported to the Ibafo Police Division, and the
policemen sealed off the bar. However, it was
gathered that the suspect, Bidemi, fled before
he could be arrested.
When their correspondent got to the area on
Thursday, Emmanuel’s uncle, Mr. Toyin
Olayemi, said the boy was rejected by four
different hospitals before he was eventually
taken to LASUTH.
He said:
“Emmanuel’s father is not around. He went to
his hometown in Ekiti because he fell ill. On
Tuesday morning when they told me about
Emmanuel. I rushed to the private hospital and
I saw him on the bed, severely burnt from head
to abdomen.
He was working on part-time basis in the bar,
although Bidemi did not pay him any salary.
Emmanuel is also learning generator repair at a
workshop. I was told that the manager accused
him of stealing N1,500.
Despite pleas from neighbours that they would
repay him, he waited till everyone had gone to
sleep and brought out the boy and burnt his
body.
The private hospital asked us to take him away
the following day. We went to about four
government hospitals which rejected him before
we came to LASUTH.
Since that Tuesday, they have not allowed us
to see him. They said he was still under
observation. The suspect too has run away. We
learnt that a policeman in the Ibafo division
tipped Bidemi off to evade arrest.”
When Punch visited the suspect’s father, Pa
sh*ttu, he said that the most important thing
was for the victim to get well. He said:
“My wife went to check the boy in the hospital.
The doctors did not allow her to see him, but
they told her that he was responding to
treatment. I have spent about N150,000 on his
treatment. I have not seen Bidemi. I don’t know
his whereabouts. He has refused to pick my
calls. The most important thing is for the child
to get well.”
On getting to the private hospital in Ibafo
where Emmanuel was initially treated, the
doctor said he ensured that he was in a stable
condition before he was transferred.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP
Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident. He
added that the police were intensifying efforts
to arrest the suspect. He said:
“The suspect poured petrol on the boy for
stealing. He maltreated him, tied his hands and
feet, and set him on fire. The boy is still in the
hospital and the suspect is presently at large.
But the police will arrest the suspect.
This act is not only criminal, but also barbaric.
We are intensifying efforts to get him and we
will.”
searching for a bar manager, Mr. Bidemi
sh*ttu, who allegedly poured petrol on his 13-
year-old attendant, Ezekiel Emmanuel, and set
him ablaze. It was gathered that the manager
took the action because the teenager
reportedly stole N1,500 from him.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident
happened in the Akoka area of Ibafo, Ogun
State, on Monday, February 9. The runaway
suspect, Bidemi, who is married with children,
was the manager of Golden
Fingers Bar in the area, while Emmanuel was
one of his attendants.
Bidemi, who had accused Emmanuel of theft
on Sunday, allegedly tied the teenager’s hands
and feet in a room in his bar till Monday,
waiting for him to admit the offence.
It was gathered that on Monday, at about
11.30pm, Bidemi brought Emmanuel out to
the front of the bar, poured petrol on the boy
and set fire on him. Luckily, some residents,
who were out at the time, rescued the victim.
They were said to have rushed Emmanuel to a
private hospital in the area where he was
initially treated before he was referred to the
Lagos State University Teaching Hospital,
Ikeja, Lagos, the following day.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the matter was
reported to the Ibafo Police Division, and the
policemen sealed off the bar. However, it was
gathered that the suspect, Bidemi, fled before
he could be arrested.
When their correspondent got to the area on
Thursday, Emmanuel’s uncle, Mr. Toyin
Olayemi, said the boy was rejected by four
different hospitals before he was eventually
taken to LASUTH.
He said:
“Emmanuel’s father is not around. He went to
his hometown in Ekiti because he fell ill. On
Tuesday morning when they told me about
Emmanuel. I rushed to the private hospital and
I saw him on the bed, severely burnt from head
to abdomen.
He was working on part-time basis in the bar,
although Bidemi did not pay him any salary.
Emmanuel is also learning generator repair at a
workshop. I was told that the manager accused
him of stealing N1,500.
Despite pleas from neighbours that they would
repay him, he waited till everyone had gone to
sleep and brought out the boy and burnt his
body.
The private hospital asked us to take him away
the following day. We went to about four
government hospitals which rejected him before
we came to LASUTH.
Since that Tuesday, they have not allowed us
to see him. They said he was still under
observation. The suspect too has run away. We
learnt that a policeman in the Ibafo division
tipped Bidemi off to evade arrest.”
When Punch visited the suspect’s father, Pa
sh*ttu, he said that the most important thing
was for the victim to get well. He said:
“My wife went to check the boy in the hospital.
The doctors did not allow her to see him, but
they told her that he was responding to
treatment. I have spent about N150,000 on his
treatment. I have not seen Bidemi. I don’t know
his whereabouts. He has refused to pick my
calls. The most important thing is for the child
to get well.”
On getting to the private hospital in Ibafo
where Emmanuel was initially treated, the
doctor said he ensured that he was in a stable
condition before he was transferred.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP
Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident. He
added that the police were intensifying efforts
to arrest the suspect. He said:
“The suspect poured petrol on the boy for
stealing. He maltreated him, tied his hands and
feet, and set him on fire. The boy is still in the
hospital and the suspect is presently at large.
But the police will arrest the suspect.
This act is not only criminal, but also barbaric.
We are intensifying efforts to get him and we
will.”
