As reported by Daily Trust, a gang of thieves set a house on fire in Ilorin, Kwara State, after stealing foodstuffs and other groceries in the early hours of Wednesday.

The incident occurred in the Afenifere community, Onireke, Gaa-Akanbi area of Ilorin South Local Government. Sources reported that the criminals set the house ablaze in a bid to escape after being discovered by residents and members of the community.

The spokesman for the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, confirmed the incident.

According to him, the thieves stole foodstuffs, groceries and clothing and set the house ablaze in a desperate bid to escape after they saw they were about to be apprehended.

“They were a three three-person gang and one of them, 18-year-old Olawumi Ayomide, was apprehended by the community,” he said.

“Ayomide further stabbed one of his captors twice before he was handed over to the community chairman, Mr Azeez Jamiu who turned him over to the NSCDC, Tanke Division,” he added.

He said “Upon arriving at the scene, we found a three-bedroom bungalow engulfed in flames.

“Despite our efforts, two rooms were completely ravaged with a mattress, valuable documents, a plasma TV, clothing and other items destroyed”.