Bauchi was recently plunged into sorrow following the death of a middle-aged woman who set herself ablaze inside the family home of Nigeria’s late Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
The woman, reportedly the daughter of a former Sharia court judge in the state, was rescued by bystanders and rushed to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), where she succumbed to severe burns.
Eyewitnesses recounted that the woman arrived at the residence on September 26, 2025, in a commercial tricycle, carrying a gallon of liquid believed to be petrol. She asked to see Yelwa Abubakar Balewa, one of the late Prime Minister’s daughters and Chairperson of the Bauchi State Orphans and Vulnerable Children Agency (BASOVCA).
“When she was informed that Yelwa was not at home, she allegedly poured the liquid on herself at the main entrance and struck a match,” an eyewitness said. “We tried to put out the flames, but in the chaos, she suffered extensive burns.”
The Bauchi State Police Command confirmed the incident, with Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Mohammed Ahmed Wakil, describing it as “most unfortunate.” He added that the Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, had ordered a discreet investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
“On the 26th of September, at approximately 11:05 a.m., an unidentified woman, who has now died, went to the family house of late Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. After being informed that the person she sought was absent, she produced a gallon of petrol and set herself ablaze,” CSP Wakil stated.
According to the police, the woman was rescued alive and admitted to ATBUTH, where she was able to give a statement before her passing. She reportedly claimed she did not know the liquid was petrol, insisting she believed it was water.
Neighbours and acquaintances disclosed that the woman had a history of mental illness, which emerged following the birth of her last child.
Her body has since been released to her family for burial. The Bauchi State Police Command extended condolences, expressing hope that her family would find strength in the wake of the tragedy.
