A Nigerian woman, Anulika Uguru, has died a week after she called out her husband, Sunday Uguru, for allegedly abusing her with constant beatings and other forms of domestic violence.
It was gathered that the deceased, a mother of six, had lodged a complaint against her husband at the Human Rights Defenders (HURIDE) office in Ebonyi State on Tuesday, April 19.
HURIDE chairman, Sampson Oko Nweke, in a statement, confirmed that Anulika had brought a complaint to their office against her husband over alleged incessant cases of battery and other instances of domestic violations.
He said, unfortunately, he received news of her passing on Tuesday, April 26, a day after they spoke on the phone.
Meanwhile, the accused, who is currently in police custody claims that she died after drinking some herbicide, but he does not know who gave it to her.
JUSTICE FOR MRS ANULIKA: A FRESH VICTIM OF ABUSIVE MARRIAGE IN EBONYI STATE
This woman lying dead here is Mrs Anulika Uguru, a mother of six boys. She is from Ndiechi Onuebonyi Igbeagu, married to Mr Sunday Uguru (a.k.a Starger) of Ekeru Inyimagu community, all in Izzi LGA of Ebonyi State.A week ago, just on 19th of this April 2022, this woman brought a complaint to our office against her husband over incessant cases of battery and other instances of domestic violations. Regrettably, there was this delay in serving the husband an invitation notice because according to the wife, he is an inter-state transporter with no valid phone number.
Yesterday, 25th April 2022, I spoke with the woman on phone and asked her to come to my office today (26th April) by 12noon. As I waited till 12:30pm today without seeing her, I dialed her number but was picked up by a child, presumably her child.
The child handed the phone to another woman who then told me that the owner of the phone I was calling is dead. She directed us to one village clinic at Sharon junction where I saw the motionless body of Mrs Anulika. We went in company of a member of GBV Taskforce in Ebonyi State , Comrade Matthias Okinya.
The sight of the dead woman filled my heart with uncontrollable rage and resentment, I phoned the police immediately and a detachment of a Police team came but the husband was no where to be found. We launch a serious search for him with the assistance of concerned villagers and later got him apprehended. He is currently in police detention. He claims Anulika drank some herbicide but does not know who gave it to her.
He must explain what happened to this beautiful young woman cut in her prime. She spoke with me yesterday; spoke with her son around 9am today and died before 1pm. Mrs Anulika must get justice.
Sampson Oko Nweke
Chairman, Human Rights Defenders (HURIDE) Ebonyi State “. The statement read.
