Ladidi Sabo
Officers of Delta State Police Command have arrested a well-known butcher in the state for reportedly stabbing his wife to death.
The butcher who purportedly practiced his art on his wife allegedly committed the crime in Warri, Delta State on Thursday evening of 13 April 13. The suspect is currently in police custody
According to Police report, when the suspect returned home from Igbudu market where he operates as a butcher, he attempted to get hot water for a shower but his wife allegedly asked him not to touch the water stressing that he neither provides money for upkeep nor refills the cooking gas.
He was said to have ignored her and proceeded to the kitchen to fetch the hot water. Piqued by his demeanor, the deceased was said to have grabbed a knife but her husband overpowered and stabbed her several times until she collapsed. It was at that point, that he hurried her to a private hospital where she died.
On seeing the grievous harm done to her mother, their daughter who witnessed the entire sad incident dashed to the Police Station and reported the matter. He was immediately arrested.
In January, the Government of Anambra State said it has begun an investigation into the death of Ogochukwu Anene, allegedly killed by her husband, Wilson Uwadiegwu, over a loaf of bread.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that a clip that was trending on social media claimed the victim, popularly known as Ada Awka, was beaten to death by her husband over a loaf of bread.
Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo said the State Government was collaborating with the Enugu State Government in the investigation to get justice for the deceased.
“Since the deceased is from Anambra, the state government will not keep quiet over the unfortunate incident, but will make sure that thorough investigation is carried out and concluded in record time,” she said.
Mrs. Obinabo urged women in abusive marriages to always speak out and seek help instead of dying in silence. The victim’s mother, Mrs. Anene, who alleged that her daughter was killed by her husband, said the suspect “fled immediately after carrying out the act.” She called on the state government to come to their aid and give her daughter justice.
Mrs. Anene said: “Ogochukwu was beaten by her husband because she ate the loaf of bread he bought for the kids. When the children wanted to eat, he became furious about why they would ask him about the bread and pounced on her with a mirror and other objects which left her in a bad condition.
“Few days after the beating, my daughter was hospitalised at Niger Foundation in Enugu where they said she suffered internal bleeding as a result of an injury sustained during the beating.
“The doctors confirmed this after a series of scans were carried out and referred us to Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla. While all these were happening, the husband was nowhere to be found.”
Again, Mrs. Anene disclosed that the investigating police officer is mounting pressure on the family to “drop the case.” The victim’s family is yet to be informed about the autopsy result, she noted.
In their article, Nigeria: 2022 – Year of Deadly Violence Against Women and the Need to Draw the Line, Tunde Oguntola and Royal Ibeh wrote that “in Nigeria, women and girls are subjected to multiple forms of violence in the home ranging from deprivation, starvation hitting, suffocating, burning, acid baths, poisoning, neglect, lack of care, verbal insults, degrading comments, torture and intimidation, female genital mutilation, child marriage, child abuse, denial, neglect, deprivation, and abandonment.
“While the real number of women who have died arising from domestic violence remains largely unknown, it is important to note that there are also cases of men who have lost their lives after domestic squabbles with their spouses, like Biliyaminu Bello who was stabbed to death by his wife, Mariam Sanda. However, evidence abounds that predominantly, women are largely impacted by domestic violence.
