Police in Bayelsa State are investigating the death of a pastor and his female assistant in a house burnt down by a jealous lover in Yenagoa, the state capital.
It was learnt that 40-year-old Etifa Obukulubu set his girlfriend’s home on fire on suspicion that she was cheating on him.
Obukulubu’s lover was, however, not in the house when it was set ablaze, but the unnamed pastor and his female aide were killed in the blaze.
The pastor, said to be working with New Baptist Church and his assistant, were reportedly putting up in the house.
It was yet to be ascertained if there were other casualties apart from the clergy and the lady.
While some residents claimed the burnt house was owned by the targeted girl’s family, others claimed it was rented by the deceased pastor.
It was also gathered that the incident, which occurred at about 3am on Saturday, led to pandemonium as effort to rescue those inside the house failed.
It was gathered that Obukulub’s girlfriend vacated her home for the deceased pastor and his assistant who reportedly came from outside the state on an evangelical mission.
Residents of the community said the suspect, who is a commercial driver, had waited for his girlfriend to come home before carrying out the dastardly act.
They claimed that the suspect on sighting her girlfriend with a man and another girl got angry and set the home ablaze.
“He (the suspect) waited for them to enter the house and used fuel to set fire round the house. But he did not know that his girlfriend had left the house to sleep with another friend, ” a source said.
Another resident, who described the suspect as a loner, said the incident shocked everyone in the area.
The resident claimed the lovers were staying three houses away and no one suspected they were dating.
The source said: “It is unfortunate that the pastor and his assistant died in the fire. I was told the pastor was invited to preach in Yenagoa and the suspect’s girlfriend offered her home for them to sleep so that they would leave early the following day.”
Spokesman for the Bayelsa State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident, adding that investigation was ongoing.

By Simon Utebor