From Ngozi Uwujare
Thirty-year-old Abdullahi Garba is probably wishing that he had held his anger in check and restrained himself from reaching for the knife that lay nearby.
Garba got into a fight with his wife, Falilat Saka Garba, 29, on May 30, 2017, after she insulted him for not giving her N2000 for housekeeping and another N2000 for the contribution scheme she joined.
At the headquarters of the Kogi State Police Command, Homicide Detectives Section, where he is being held, Garba spoke with Sunday Sun and claimed that he was angered by the effrontery of his wife, who slapped him because he could not provide the amount she demanded for housekeeping.
Recounting how the tragic incident happened in Epaka Oboroke village in Ihima community of Okehi Local Government Area, Kogi State, Garba said: “My late wife Falilat Garba was a troublemaker. She is after money. I am a driver by profession. My deceased wife requested for N4,000, N2000 for contribution and N2000 for housekeeping. I told her that I could only afford N2,000 naira for the contribution.
I told her to sell some chickens and use the money for housekeeping. We have been quarrelling over and over because of money. Severally my wife had accused me that since commercial driving was not giving me enough money. I should start stealing to sustain the family.
“Since I married her in 2013 she had never slapped me, rather she would insult me. I have reported her conduct to the mother. The mother talked to her and she would show better conduct for a while. Later she would return to her bad attitude.
I tried to please her, but she was not satisfied. We have been quarrelling over and over because of money.”
Explaining further, Garba said: “My wife always mounted pressure on me over the housekeeping money. Suddenly, my wife slapped me, immediately I slapped her too. We were both eating at the time, I took the knife beside me and stabbed her on the neck and she slumped on the ground.
“I quickly put her in my car and tried to rush her to the hospital. She died in the car in my hands.
“My late wife had only one son for me, Mohammed Garba, who is six years old. It is because of this recession that my wife was always insulting me on daily basis. Now that my wife is dead, who take care of my only son Mohammed Garba?
According to the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu, the matter was reported at the Okehi Police Station. He was promptly arrested by policemen and is being held at Homicide Detectives Section in Lokoja, Kogi State.
Now gnashing his teeth in regret, Garba offered a good advice to other other men: “I know I am going to prison, but my advice to the public is we should learn how to be patient with our wives during this time of recession.”
In the course of investigation, The Deputy Commissioner of Police State incharge of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Mr. Ibrahim Sabo Umar, disclosed that homicide detectives recovered the knife, which Garba used to stabbed his wife. Inalegwu stated that the suspect would soon be charged to court.