“The woman who gave me a substance told me that it was a charm meant to endear my husband to me. I never knew that what she gave me wasacid. All I was trying to do was to keep my husband’s love so that he would not think of leaving me, because I know that my marriage with any other man wouldnot endure because of my barrenness.”
These were that words of Remi Agunbiade (38), a resident ofIta Barika, Foko area of Ibadan, Oyo State, after she was arrested by thepolicemen from Iyaganku Division over an alleged attempt to kill her husband,one Olawale Shola, by pouring acid on him on January 27, 2016.
The incident occurred less than 24 hours after a similarhappening at Oje area of Ibadan where a man allegedly poured a bottle of acidon the mother of his two kids for reasons best known to him. But the differenceis that while the Oje suspect ran away after committing the act, the Fokovictim, Shola prevented his assailant from escaping as he ran after her andheld her until neighbours came to assist him in preventing the lady fromrunning away.
Crime Reports learnt that the Foko incident happened atabout 9a.m while Shola was lying down in a room he stayed with his partner,Remi.
In an interview with Remi after her arrest, the lady, whoalso got some of the acid on her skin, claimed ignorance of the substance shepoured on her partner, saying that she thought it was a love charm.
According to her, “I met Shola in 2003 and we have beentogether since then. He was the one who forced me to abort for him twice, andsince then, I have not been able to get pregnant again. Then, he had a wifewith two kids.
“When I had my first pregnancy, he said that his wife wasalso pregnant with their third child, asking me to abort mine, which I did. Heused to schedule his stay between the two of us. We used to quarrel often andthis got me worried because I knew that if he left me, I would not be able tohave another steady relationship since no man would be willing to live with abarren woman.
“I met a lady called Iya Azeez at a provision stall atAgbeni market, Ibadan. During our discussion, I intimated her of my challengesand said that I didn’t want to leave my husband. She replied that I would haveto resolve the issue through self-help. I asked for assistance to stop furtherquarrels between me and my husband and she said she would help me get waterthat had been prayed into from an Alfa, stating that all I would need to do isto sprinkle it on my husband, after which he would love me without holding anythingback. She gave me a bottle containing the liquid substance on Tuesday, January26.
“On Wednesday morning, my partner, Shola, was lying downwhen I took the bottle and poured the content on his head. He cried in agonyfrom sleep and I also shouted and ran out. But he followed me and caught upwith me beside the house next to ours.
“He asked people to help him hold me so that I would not runaway. By then, a huge crowd had gathered and it was then they started sayingthat it was acid that I poured him. Some of the liquid got rubbed on my bodywhen he held me, giving me some burns.”
The suspect claimed that she did not know the residence ofthe friend who gave her the purported bottle of liquid, saying that she onlymet the lady about two months ago. She confirmed that she quarrelled with herhusband concerning accommodation, since she already told him that she was tiredof living with him in a room she rented herself.
“I decided to pack everything out of the room to anotherplace, leaving it bare. His friends intervened and he came to sleep in the roomwith me on Tuesday. My action was because I didn’t want to have anotherhusband.”
She also disclosed that her husband started dating anotherlady in her neighbourhood about three years ago, and that the lady used toscorn her childlessness. Remi added that her husband rented a room for thelady.
Crime Reports was also at the Burns Unit of the UniversityCollege Hospital (UCH), Ibadan where the victim was on admission. He narratedhis experience thus: “Remi and I have been together for over 11 years. Myrelationship with her caused a friction between her and my first wife who hasfour children for me.
“I used to defend Remi anytime she had a quarrel with myfirst wife, especially because she had yet to have a child. At a time, Iabandoned my first wife to be with Remi when the first wife cursed Remi andsaid she would never have any child till she would quit relationship with me.
“Also about three years ago, I started dating a lady. Thiscaused Remi to be threatening her. She even went as far as quarrelling with thelady. Last year, I discovered that my first wife was already dating another manbecause of the neglect she suffered from me. As a result, I called Remi inOctober 2015 and told her that I would have to share days of the week betweenher and my first wife. Initially, she was angry at my suggestion but later saidI should start in January 2016.
“I went to my first wife twice in January and by the Ireturned to Remi’s place, she had changed the lock and had packed all herbelongings and mine. She also collected my phone from me under the pretext thatshe wanted to use it. After my friend’s intervention, she returned on Monday,January 25. But I went to sleep in the third lady’s house. On Tuesday, I wentto Remi’s place and stayed there with her in the bare room.
“On Wednesday, I was lying down, waiting for a friend.Suddenly, I felt a warm liquid on me. As I opened my eyes, I saw as she wasabout to run out and I went after her. I raised the alarm and people came. Itold them that she had already threatened that she would do an unforgettablething to me. That was how I was rushed to the hospital.”
Shola admitted asking Remi to have an abortion in the past,but said it was only once.
The Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP AdekunleAjisebutu, who confirmed the story, said that the suspect was still undergoinginvestigation, adding that she would be arraigned to court at the conclusion ofinvestigation.
Ajisebutu warned members of the public against adopting acidas a weapon of revenge, saying that the act was criminal.
Tribune
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January 31, 2016
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