By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
A disturbing incident occurred in Kano, Nigeria, where a man identified as Suleiman Muntari set himself on fire along Panshekara Road.
According to eyewitnesses, Muntari poured petrol on himself and ignited it, claiming he wanted to go to “Paradise”.
“He said he wanted to go to Paradise. People thought he was joking, but before anyone could stop him, he had already poured petrol on himself and struck a match. Within seconds, he was on fire,” said Saminu Isah, a witness.
Some residents believed Muntari was under the influence of drugs, as he appeared to be disoriented and shouting strange things before the incident.
“He was not in his right senses. You could smell something strong on him, and he was staggering and shouting strange things,” said Aisha Salisu, a resident.
As the incident unfolded, people nearby tried to intervene, but it was too late.
“People screamed and ran, some tried to pour water on him, but it was already too late,” Salisu added.
Some residents attempted to save Muntari by dragging him into a nearby drainage filled with water, but the flames had already caused severe injuries.
“It was like a horror movie. Some young men tried to help by dragging him into the water, but the fire didn’t stop immediately. His skin was peeling,” said Ibrahim Jafar, a tricycle rider who witnessed the incident.
As of the time of filing the report, the state police command had not released an official statement on the incident.