Devastated wife speaks out after husband's tragic death sparked by dispute over plantains

Mrs Chibuzor Nwagwu, the wife of late Ezechiyere Nwagwu, who was killed by her brother-in-law during an argument over a bunch of plantain, shares her pain on how she would cope after her husband’s demise and the need to get the suspect arrested and prosecuted.

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She hails from Umuezeala Nsu, in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, and her life took a drastic turn on March 8 this year when the incident occurred.

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According to her, on that fateful Sunday, her brother-in-law, Chukwudi, went into their plantain garden and harvested the plantain, which she had planted, without her permission.

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She was not around when Chukwudi harvested the plantain, but her daughter informed her about the incident, prompting her to rush back home and intervene in the ensuing argument between Chukwudi and her husband.

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Mrs Nwagwu tried to calm the situation by taking the bunch of plantain from Chukwudi, but he went ahead to harvest a second plantain without her permission, leading to a struggle between her husband and Chukwudi.

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After retrieving the second bunch of plantain from Chukwudi, Mrs Nwagwu gave it to her daughter to take inside, thinking the matter had been resolved, but her stepbrother, Ifeanyi, provoked her husband, leading to a violent confrontation.

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Ifeanyi used the flat side of a cutlass to beat her husband on the leg, and when he tried to react, Ifeanyi attacked him on the hand, cutting him deeply, and he began to bleed profusely.

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Her husband was first taken to Etiti Hospital but was rejected due to excessive blood loss, and then to Our Saviour’s Hospital, where the doctor was unavailable, before being moved to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, where he eventually died.

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The machete cut injury was inflicted between her husband's left hand and elbow, and he died due to excessive blood loss, with water coming out from the wound at some point.

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The suspect, Ifeanyi, fled the scene and has not been seen since, and some youths in the community searched for him but were unable to find him.

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Chukwudi, who was arrested by soldiers, was not the one who attacked her husband, but his inaction during the incident has been questioned, as he did not intervene to prevent Ifeanyi from attacking her husband.

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Chukwudi's arrest was due to his involvement in the initial argument over the plantain, and his failure to prevent the attack on her husband, which ultimately led to his death.

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There were pre-existing issues between Chukwudi, Ifeanyi, and her husband, which may have contributed to the events that unfolded, and the fact that Chukwudi did not intervene to stop Ifeanyi's attack has raised questions about his role in the incident.

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The youths in the community were angry about the killing and destroyed some properties, including buildings, in the family's compound, which Mrs Nwagwu was not aware of until she returned from the hospital.

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The police have been informed about the incident, and they have demanded N40,000 to investigate the matter, with N20,000 already paid as an advance, and the remaining amount still pending.

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The police claim that the transport fare from Obowo to Owerri and back is N40,000, which is the reason for their demand, and they have not commenced the investigation due to the outstanding payment.

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Mrs Nwagwu's husband was 52 years old when he died, and she is 48 years old, leaving her to care for their five children, three males and two females, which will be a challenging task.

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One of her children had gained admission to study Architecture at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, but has had to return home due to the incident, and will soon go back to school to pack his belongings.

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Mrs Nwagwu is not satisfied with the way the police are handling the matter, citing the lack of progress due to the unpaid balance of N20,000, which is hindering the investigation.

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She wants the police to apprehend the person responsible for her husband's death and arrest those who may be hiding the suspect, to ensure justice is served.

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The community elders had intervened in the past to resolve the enmity between Ifeanyi and her husband, but their efforts were unsuccessful, and now they are saying that her husband will not be buried until the suspect is seen and arrested.

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Mrs Nwagwu is heartbroken and in pain, struggling to come to terms with her husband's death, and the fact that she has become a widow at a relatively young age.

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She will miss her husband dearly, as he was a good man who treated her well, and she is finding it difficult to cope with the loss, especially with the responsibility of taking care of their children.