Woman Burns Lover's Daughters to Death in Benue State Dispute

Tragedy struck in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria, where a middle-aged woman, identified as Mbayegh, is accused of setting her lover's two young daughters ablaze following a dispute.

The incident reportedly took place in the early hours of Monday, July 6, 2026, in the Kaffe area of Zaki-Biam. According to local sources, Mbayegh visited her lover, Aondoyima Ierkwagh, but he refused her request to stay, insisting she leave. Angered by his refusal, Mbayegh allegedly refused to depart the premises.

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I don’t really know if it was a lovers’ quarrel that resulted in the act, but the report we got from the father of the girls, who reported to the police, was that a person set his house on fire.

Community sources suggest the woman may have suspected that her lover had brought another woman into the hut, which fueled her anger. Ierkwagh, whose wife was away, reportedly locked his two daughters in a round hut before retiring to another. Around midnight, Mbayegh is alleged to have set fire to the hut where the children were sleeping.

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He said that neighbours tried to rescue the girls and rushed them to the hospital. Tragically, they died while receiving treatment.

The two girls were severely burned and rushed to the hospital, where they tragically died from their injuries. The spokesperson for the Benue State Command, DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed the incident. He stated that the father of the deceased girls reported the case to the police.

DSP Edet noted that while the report indicates a house fire, the exact motive, whether a lovers' quarrel or something else, is under investigation. A suspect has been arrested, and the police are actively pursuing the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the children's deaths.

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So I can’t say whether it was a lovers’ quarrel, but a suspect was arrested and the investigation is currently ongoing.