Bauchi Agency Condemns Self-immolation Incident At Ex-Prime Minister Balewa’s Residence

The Bauchi State Orphans and Vulnerable Children Agency (BASOVCA), has expressed deep sadness over the tragic occurrence of a woman setting herself ablaze at the family residence of Nigeria’s 1st Prime Minister, the late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, in Bauchi State.
Chairperson of the agency, Hajiya Yelwa Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, who in a statement, condemned the act in strongest terms, expressed the agency’s condolences to the family of the deceased.
Hajiya Yelwa, who is a daughter to the late Prime Minister, described the incident as a stark reminder of the need for increased mental health support and resuscitation of religious education amongst the populace to understand the spiritual consequences of suicide in the hereafter.
“We want to state that the deceased had no connection whatsoever with Hajiya Yelwa Abubakar Tafawa Balewa the Chairperson of BASOVCA, or the agency as there is no record of such name in the list of the agency’s orphans and vulnerable interventions. The woman’s action was her own and did not reflect the values or mission of BASOVCA.
“Therefore, the thoughts and prayers of the agency are with the family of the deceased during this difficult time. We urge everyone to prioritize their mental health and seek help when needed.
“We appreciate the swift response of the Bauchi State Police Command and its efforts to investigate the incident. We look forward to a thorough investigation that will shed light on the circumstances surrounding this tragic occurrence.
“BASOVCA remains resolute in its mission of supporting vulnerable children and families in the state. We will continue to work tirelessly to make a positive impact in our Communities, Local Governments, and the State at large, ” the statement concluded.
It could be recalled that the Bauchi State Police Command recently confirmed the death of a middle-aged woman who reportedly set herself ablaze inside the family house of the late Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
The Command’s Spokesperson, CSP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, had said that the woman arrived at the residence in a commercial tricycle carrying a gallon of petrol and asked to see Yelwa Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, one of the late Prime Minister’s daughters, adding that on being told that she was not at home, the deceased reportedly poured petrol on herself and lit a match.
According to CSP Wakil, police officers had rescued her alive and rushed her to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, ATBUTH, Bauchi where she was admitted.
“In her statement during interrogation before she died, the deceased claimed that she did not know that the liquid she carried was petrol, insisting she thought that it was water. Investigations later revealed that she had a history of mental illness,” the statement read.