BENIN CITY, Nigeria — A 21-year-old man, Salami Anedu, has been arrested and paraded by the Edo State Police for allegedly killing his wife, Esther Friday, also 21, following a misunderstanding over food.
The suspect was arrested alongside other individuals involved in various criminal activities in the state.
The spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwanbuzor, announced on Friday, September 8, 2023, that Salami Anedu was arrested on August 30 by the Fugar division of the state police.
The arrest came following a report filed by one Aluaye Momoh on August 29, stating that Anedu used a stick to kill his wife during an argument over “family issues.”
According to Nwanbuzor, Anedu hit his wife with a wooden object during their dispute, resulting in her death.
The police arrived at the scene, arrested the suspect, and transferred the deceased’s body to Fugar General Hospital mortuary for examination.
The case is now under the purview of the homicide section of the state criminal investigation department in Benin for a discreet investigation.
In a media interview, Anedu offered his side of the story. He claims he disagreed with his wife over her refusal to serve him food she had cooked.
“She cooked rice and told me I should eat from the food. I went to cook yam and egg on my own, and she said I can’t eat the food. As I was eating the food, she started quarreling with me and threatened to bring her brother to my house to beat me up,” he said.
He added that his wife left the house and returned with two of her brothers, armed with sticks, leading to a physical altercation.
Anedu claims that he did not kill his wife and insists that she was already ill before the incident occurred.
“It was her brother that came to my house with wood but because I dragged with them, they said I was the one that killed her. My wife was sick before,” Anedu added.
The tragic incident has raised serious concerns over domestic violence and women’s safety in marital homes.
As the investigation proceeds, the community waits for the truth to be unraveled, justice to be served, and hopefully, lessons to be learned.
