There were uncontrollable tears and mourning as the young military officer, Lt. (Dr) Samson Haruna, who was allegedly burnt to death by his wife, Retyit Dalong Haruna, was finally buried on Saturday, November 15, 2025, with full military honours in his hometown in Pushit district of Mangu local government area of Plateau State.
Recall that the tragic incident happened during a domestic dispute at Wellington Bassey Barracks, Ibagwa, Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, where the wife reportedly set the 31-year-old army officer on fire during a domestic dispute.
At the time of his death, Lt. Haruna was a medical doctor attached to the 6 Battalion Regimental Medical Officer (RMO), having been married for only five months.
Reports then had indicated that the couple had a heated argument, which resulted in the wife dousing him with petrol (PMS) and setting him on fire, and he died as a result of severe burns he suffered weeks later.
A source in the barracks who narrated the sad incident to our correspondent had said the young officer sustained severe burns and was immediately stabilised at the Military Reference Section (MRS) in the barracks before being evacuated to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital for further management.
The source added that Lt. Haruna could not survive as he succumbed to his injuries despite efforts by medical personnel to save his life.
Though her family has tried to exonerate her from the crime claiming that she had been freed, the source insisted that she was actually the main suspect.
Another source, who is also a military officer serving in the same formation and also from Plateau State, reliably told our correspondent that Retyit has been handed over to the police for further investigations and would be charged in court at the end of the investigations.
