African news : breaking news, features, analysis

Lagos State Police Command in Nigeria has arrested a 26-year-old pregnant woman who allegedly stabbed her husband to death during a quarrel over who would emerge winner between the Peoples’ Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress, APC presidential candidates, while voting was on-going on Saturday.

The incident, which occurred at Ejigbo near Lagos, occurred at about 12noon inside the couple’s one room apartment at 81 Military zone junction.

There were different accounts on how the tragedy struck. A version of the account said the couple had divergent views on their choice of presidential candidates. While the husband was said to have decided to vote for the PDP, his wife, simply called Onyiyechi, reportedly chose to vote for the presidential candidate of the APC. An argument which degenerated into a fight over whose choice would hold sway reportedly ensued between them.

In the process, Onyiyechi allegedly stabbed her husband with a kitchen knife in the chest region.

Another version said the deceased, whose identity could not be immediately ascertained, told his pregnant wife to take the okro she was grating inside the room, to the veranda which also served as kitchen, an instruction she reportedly disobeyed, following which an argument which led to a fight occurred.

Visit to the scene

When Vanguard visited the scene of the incident Sunday, the couple’s apartment was under lock and key. Their neighbours however described the suspect as an amicable person who had never quarrelled with anyone since she moved into the building.

One of the tenants who spoke on condition of anonymity told Vanguard that they did not witness how the suspect allegedly stabbed her husband.

But he explained that, “We were all outside waiting to vote when Onyiyechi rushed out, shouting for help. Out of curiosity, we all ran inside, only to discover blood all over the ground, on entering their apartment.

”On closer observation, we noticed that the blood was from her husband’s chest region. We met him on the ground. Before we could rush him to the hospital, he gave up the ghost.

Perhaps, he would have survived the attack had Onyiyechi called for help early. From all indication, it was clear that she attempted to manage the situation immediately the incident occurred. It was when she discovered that the situation had overwhelmed her that she raised alarm.

”I do not know the name of her husband. We only know that of his wife, who we fondly call Onyiyechi. The irony of this matter is that she is not cantankerous.

”She has never beaten a little child, let alone to fight with any neighbor. Again on that day, we saw both of them together. They were seen sitting outside, one hour before the incident occurred. Policemen from Ejigbo later came to remove the corpse to the Isolo morgue”.

Credit: Vanguardngr