Adedeji Williams Adenuga, the man suspected to have set his ex-girlfriend’s family of nine ablaze in Okitipupa axis of Ondo State, was an ex-convict who escaped from the prison custody, the Police have said.

Undie Adie, State Commissioner of Police, revealed this on Tuesday shortly after parading the suspected arsonist before journalists at headquaters of the Police Command in Akure. 

Adie said Adenuga had once, in 2013, joined some criminals in escaping from the Olokuta Medium Prison in Akure during a jail break.

He said Adenuga was jailed and remanded in the prison for killing his wife, identified as Abiye Akinola, in 2000. 

He described the suspected arsonist as a “notorious criminal element” who has a record of a murder case with the Ondo State Police Command. 

“It is very unfortunate to note here that this same suspect is rather notorious for committing this same act, especailly murder,” he said.

“He killed his former wife named Abiye Akinola sometimes in the year 2000 and this led to his remandment at the Olokuta Medium Prison here in Akure. Adenuga, however, escaped during a jailbreak in 2013 but the ealier murder case would now be looked into with a view to having him face the full weight of the law.”

Adie also explained that Adenuga, April 23, 2019, set ablaze the family of his ex-girlfriend identified as Titi Sunmonu, based on the grouse that the lady jilted him.

Eight of these family members, who were mostly children, died at the hospital, while the ninth, the ex-girlfriend, is the only survivor, receiving treatment at the hospital.

The suspect, who said she burnt the family because Titi aborted his baby, escaped after the alleged crime but was eventually arrested in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, by the Police.