to convince his parents that he meant it, utochukwu(21), took a kerosene bath and lit himself. he's right, lucky he didn't die. in Egbe

A 21-year-old man, Utochukwu Ukandu, has set himself ablaze in the Agbado, Egbe area of Lagos State. The victim had been telling his parents he was frustrated and would kill himself, but they did not take him serious until the incident happened.

His elder brother, Ebuka, was said to have seen him setting himself ablaze and raised the alarm.

A source said, “Nobody knows exactly why he took that decision. All we know is that he had been telling his parents he would kill himself, but they did not take him serious.

“On Monday, around 9pm, he went inside the house and poured kerosene on his body. He wet the bed with the kerosene as well, including the house. He then lit a matchstick and set everywhere on fire.”

Firemen from the Lagos State Fire Service, Ikotun division, were said to have been called by a resident.

They were said to have arrived the scene just on time with 10,000 litres of water with which they doused the flames.

The victim was luckily saved, but with a high degree of burns.

The Director of the state fire service, Rasak Fadipe, confirmed the incident, adding that parents should be wary of the comments of their children.

He said, “Parents must not lose guard of their duties to their children. Where a child has been threatening that he would kill himself, it is important that parents take such a child apart for counseling to avert tragedies.”