The fleeing assailant, 45-year-old Bamidele Bakare, was alleged to have set the building located on 16, Ishola Street ablaze in the early hours of Monday.
Eye witnesses said before the building was set ablaze, Bamidele evacuated his five children and property from one of the rooms he occupied.
While the building comprising eight rooms was on fire, occupants who were jolted from sleep reportedly scrambled out of their respective apartments for safety.
Two of them who attempted to rescue the octogenarian identified as Folorunsho Bakare who was fast asleep were reportedly prevented by Bamidele, whom they alleged threatened to set them ablaze too if they dared.
Elder brother to the alleged assailant, Mr Olu Bakare, who reportedly rushed down from Jos, the Plateau State capital where he resides, expressed shock that his sibling could send their mother to her grave in such manner.
He told Vanguard : “As if the death of our mother was not enough, my brother buried her charred remains without my consent.”
Bakare said the burnt building was owned by him, adding that things fell apart between him and his younger brother after the latter allegedly stole documents of some of his property located in Jos and Lagos.
Bakare said: “I took him to court and that was the beginning of his rift with me. I believe he set my mother on fire because of that. But what has that got to do with my 87-year-old mother?
“When I heard the news, I took the next available vehicle to Lagos. I reported the matter to the Adekunle Police division, from where the Divisional Crime Officer and Inspector Crime followed me to ascertain the claim.
“I was also asked to get two persons who saw when he was setting the building ablaze. I did and they attested to it.
“They said when they wanted to rescue my mother, Bamidele told them to leave her to die, saying after all, she was his mother and that he was capable of burying her. After setting the building ablaze, he disappeared with his children.”
However, police sources said efforts were on to arrest fleeing Bamidele.
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