There was outrage on Tuesday when a Nigerian man allegedly set his wife ablaze in Anambra State, South-east Nigeria.
The man, simply identified as Mr Nwanna, was said to have accused the victim, Chioma Nwanna, of infidelity.
The incident happened in Abagana, a community in Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.
How it happened
Residents told PREMIUM TIMES that an intense argument ensued between the couple when the suspect accused the victim of cheating.
“The man went inside, brought a gallon of fuel (petrol) and, poured it on the wife and set her ablaze,” a neighbour who identified herself as Chika said.
Mrs Nwanna, the victim, was quickly rushed to hospital for treatment.
Police speak
The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, said in a short message forwarded to reporters that the victim later died on Wednesday morning.
“We are aware of the matter, but it is sad to announce to you that the woman just died this morning while receiving medical attention,” Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said Wednesday morning.
“Her husband has been arrested, and investigation has commenced,” the spokesperson added.
Anambra govt wades in
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare in Anambra State, Ify Obinabo, visited the victim’s family on Wednesday.
Mrs Obinabo, in a video clip uploaded on her ministry’s Facebook page on Wednesday, said Mr Nwanna had attempted to stab the victim with a bottle in the past but failed.
“This time, he waited until the children had gone to school to set the woman ablaze. She died around 3 a.m. this morning,” she said in a mixture of Igbo and English languages.
The commissioner said the victim had five boys for the husband and that the state government would assist in training the children.
She vowed that the suspect would be prosecuted for his actions.
‘Evil spirit possessed me,’ suspect
The suspect, in another video uploaded on Facebook, claimed that the victim often left without informing him and usually came home late in the night.
Mr Nwanna claimed that, after setting the wife ablaze out of anger, he tried unsuccessfully to quench it with water.
“This was out of anger. I don’t know when I did it. In fact, there was a spirit that entered into me (and forced me to set her ablaze),” he said.
“I feel so bad that I killed her because I loved her so much,” he claimed.
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