• 22-yr old man murdered by uncle

By GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

A POOLS promoter (names withheld) has set himself ablaze in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State over his alleged inability to pay customers who won in pools betting even as a 22-year old man was murdered by his uncle in Ualor-Oke in Esan North East council of the state.

The agent was said to have set himself ablaze after pouring fuel on himself and striking a match to ignite the fire.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that the agent, who hailed from Ozalla Community in Owan West Local Government Area, was the owner of an outfit called U-Kay Pools in Ekpoma.

According to an eyewitness, the agent decided to end his life when he discovered that he could no longer take the shame and frustration that trailed his indebtedness.

Another account had it that the victim’s death resulted from an attempt by him to refuel a generator.

A friend of the deceased who denied the suicide story explained that the pools promoter wanted to pour petrol into a generator when there was an explosion that set the pools promoter on fire. It was learnt that the deceased was already in flames before help came and was rushed to hospital where he gave up the ghost as a result of severe burns.

In a related incident, a 22-year-old boy, Christopher Anthony, has been allegedly killed by his uncle at Ualor-Oke village in Esan North East Local Government of Edo State.

The victim, who was the eldest son of his parents and a video camera operator, was allegedly killed when the father sent him home from Benin City to clear weed around their family house in the village.

Mr. Ehichioya Anthony, father of the victim, a driller with Reynolds Construction Company in Benin City, confirmed that he sent his son home to do some work around the family house when he was attacked by his uncle.

The alleged murderer, he said, is his younger brother and that there was no previous disagreement between them that would lead to the killing of his son.