Ekiti police probe alleged killing of woman by husband, vow justice

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade, has ordered a thorough investigation into the alleged killing of a 25-year-old woman, Kehinde Onizeokaraga, by her husband during a marital dispute in Ado Ekiti.

The directive came after the woman was reportedly attacked with a machete by her husband, Sodiq Ibrahim, a meat seller, during an attempt to settle a disagreement between the couple on Wednesday.

The incident reportedly occurred at a residence in Ado Ekiti where Kehinde had gone for a meeting intended to help resolve the marital crisis, unaware that her husband would also be present.

Sources said the couple, who were originally from Kogi State, had been experiencing problems in their marriage, leading to Kehinde leaving her husband’s home before efforts were made to reconcile them.

The attempted reconciliation reportedly turned violent after a disagreement broke out, with Ibrahim allegedly attacking his wife several times with a machete and leaving her with injuries that proved fatal.

Following the attack, the suspect reportedly escaped from the scene and was still at large as of Thursday, while the deceased’s remains were deposited in a mortuary.

A cousin of the deceased, Yussuf Lawrence, said the family was devastated by the incident and called on the authorities to ensure that the suspect was arrested and prosecuted. Lawrence said the family was particularly concerned that Ibrahim allegedly left with the deceased’s mobile phone, which he believed could contain information useful to investigators. He also claimed that some people had been taken into police custody in connection with the incident.

Confirming the development, the Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, said the police commissioner had ordered a full investigation, adding that the command was determined to ensure that the alleged perpetrator was arrested and brought to justice.