Mother, four children killed in suspected love triangle arson attack in Isiolo

A suspected love triangle has left six people dead, including a mother and her four children, after a night fire razed their house in Bulapesa, Isiolo County.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday night, left Halima Warri, 45, three of her children and their cousin, all aged between seven and 15 years, burned beyond recognition, with their house reduced to ashes.

Halima and her children were reportedly trapped inside as the fire spread rapidly, fueled by strong winds. Senior Chief Abdi Dida said residents made unsuccessful attempts to rescue the victims, as the community lacked a firefighting unit to respond to the emergency.

“Unfortunately, the mother and her children died in the incident. There was no fire engine available to contain the inferno, and residents also failed to extinguish it,” Abdi said.

Preliminary investigations point to a woman suspected of starting the fire in what police believe was a revenge attack driven by a love-related conflict. Tension escalated quickly as news of the deaths spread across Bulapesa.

By Wednesday morning, angry residents hunted down the suspected arsonist, lynched her and burned her house, located just a few metres from the scene of the initial fire.

“The suspect’s house was also set on fire and completely destroyed. We received information that the mob intended to harm the suspect’s children, who were at school. We have deployed police officers to the school to prevent an attack. The children will also be placed in safe custody,” Abdi added.

He cautioned residents against resorting to extrajudicial actions, calling for restraint and peaceful coexistence.

“This community must not resort to violence. Let us resolve our issues through the right channels,” he said.

At Bulapesa cemetery, grave diggers prepared a single grave where the five victims were buried later that afternoon, in accordance with Islamic traditions.

Local elder Omar Godana condemned the twin tragedies, noting that such a violent and tragic event had never been witnessed in the area.

“This community has never witnessed such a tragic and violent event. We call for calm as authorities handle the matter,” Omar said.

Another resident described the events as “a strange and tragic occurrence” that could have been avoided.

“When there are differences, we must resolve our issues soberly. It is very sad that we have lost six lives due to a dispute. This is a matter that could have been settled by elders,” he said.

The residents have now demanded thorough investigations into the suspected arson, noting that Halima had previously reported receiving threats.

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“We understand the woman had previously reported threats against her life. The police must get to the bottom of this matter and uncover what truly led to the deaths of the mother and her innocent children,” they said.

Family members and neighbours who tried to put out the flames confirmed that they were overwhelmed by the intensity of the fire. No firefighting teams arrived at the scene in time to help.

Police have since launched full investigations into both the arson attack and the mob lynching, as local leaders continue appealing for calm amid rising tensions in Bulapesa.