Anambra man kills his brother's wife for property

Tension is rising in Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government Area of ​​Anambra State, following the murder of 40-year-old Nkiru Okoye.

It has been established that the deceased, wife of a mechanical engineer, Emenike Okoye, was beaten to death by her brother-in-law, George Okoye, for ownership of disputed land.

George Okoye is the older brother of Emenike Okoye.

The suspect, who is currently in police custody, allegedly invaded the victim's home, alongside some of his close family members and allegedly attacked Emenike and his wife.

The incident occurred on July 19, 2022.

The deceased's husband, Emenike, who also suffers from serious injuries, is currently hospitalized at Isaac Chira Memorial Hospital and Maternity Hospital, Awkuzu, Oyi LGA.

An internationally award-winning author, Chimamanda Adichie, hails from the same community as the deceased.

Confirming the incident, state police spokesman DSP Tochukwu Ikenga said the suspect has been arrested and an investigation has begun into the matter.

Ikenga said, "We have a suspect in our custody and the matter is still under investigation. Please, more information will be released as development unfolds. will continue."

Recounting the incident that led to his wife's death, Emenike, who spoke from the hospital bed on Sunday, said he was at home on July 19 preparing for work, while his late wife (Nkiru) was also preparing to travel for a meeting of Umuada (Daughters of his kindred in Abba), when his eldest brother (George) drove his wife (Uzonna) and their three children home around 6 a.m. morning and attacked him and his wife for no reason.

He said, "I was getting ready for work, my wife was getting the children ready for school and also to go home for an Umuada meeting. George and his wife, Uzonna and their son, Somtochukwu and their twins, invaded my house around 6am on July 19. They overpowered us, beat us to awe and left.

"Later that day, when my children went to school, around 7am, they came back with people, carrying dangerous weapons, including an axe.

“They dragged my wife out of the house, beat her and killed her with an ax and a chair. She fell down and died. broke my hand with an axe, dragged me outside and started beating me with the ax all over my body until I died. You can see the cut over my eyes.

"They let me think I was also dead. But miraculously I escaped death as some members of our local vigilante group who arrived at the scene led me to the hospital."

Emenike, who is the father of five children - two boys and three girls - aged 3 to 11, has demanded justice for the death of his wife.

He also seeks the help of the relevant authorities and interested people to transfer him to a better hospital where he would make a full recovery.

On the cause of the crisis, Emenike said, "George said that as soon as our mother (Mrs. Adaoba Okoye) was alive, he claimed to be our owner. He is not the firstborn, but he claims ownership of the entire resort and is still fighting with all of us.

"So she had nothing to do with it. Why kill her for nothing? This crisis also led to the death of our mother and our older brother. The community had intervened and the property was shared, with him took the biggest part. I took mine without complaining. Later he started claiming the passage to my house.

"When I put up the dwarf fence he shot it down and even reported me to the family. I left him. A member of our family later intervened and wanted him pay money not to touch the part, he initially agreed, but when it was time to start construction, he rejected the offer, only for him to invade my compound and attack me, killing my wife in the process,” he added.

Corroborating this, the eldest daughter and sole survivor of the family, Mrs. Monica Onwuegbusi (née Okoye), said that she had initiated several reconciliation moves to bring lasting peace to her immediate family, but George (the suspect ), kicked against all.

Onwuegbusi, a 68-year-old widow, presented some of the letters from the meeting she initiated, including one signed by the Umunwana family leadership of Umueri village, Ogbunike on May 17, 2006; and another written by a religious group on October 11, 2005 and January 27, 2006, respectively calling on the family to reconcile the difference between George and Emenike, but according to her they were unsuccessful.

She appealed to the governor of the state, Professor Chukwuma Soludo; Inspector General of Police Usman Baba through State Commissioner of Police Echeng Echeng; the President, Mjaor General Muhammadu Buhari (retired); women's groups and non-governmental organizations to com...