From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
A man is alleged to have beat his 8-month pregnant wife to death on Uburu-Ekwe Street in Ugwuagor, Abakpa Nike, Enugu State Wednesday night.
The suspect, identified as “Eke Nweofia”, said to be a dealer in scrap metal at Nkpor Street in Abakpa, was supposedly under the influence of alcohol when he committed the crime.
An eyewitness, Chibuike Ozor, said that the victim, mother of four “Mama Goodluck”, was beaten to stupor by her husband and was later rushed to a nearby hospital where she was confirmed dead in the early hours of Thursday.
Ozor narrated that Eke Nweofia who came home from work Wednesday night demanded food from his wife but was told that the only food in the house was for the children. She supposedly explained to him that she had to beg for a bowl of garri from one of her neighbours for the children to feed since the suspect did not provide money for food before he left for work.
‘This response obviously got the husband angry and he pounced on her and beat her mercilessly. Before we could come to her rescue, she had collapsed. So we helped in rushing her to the hospital where she was later confirmed dead in the early hours of Thursday,’ Ozor stated.
The eyewitness said that Eke was in the habit of beating his wife at any slightest provocation. ‘When this pregnancy was about 2-months-old, the husband battered her and it took our intervention to save the woman that day.’
The suspect has since been arrested by men of the Ugwuagor Vigilante group and handed over to the police.
When contacted, the Chief Security Officer of the area, Ikechukwu Ukwuani, who confirmed the incident, noted that it was a shocking development.
‘The sad story is true. I just came back from Abakpa Police Station where we handed him over to the police.’