Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
What was expected to be a last-ditch effort to reconcile a troubled marriage reportedly ended in tragedy on Wednesday when a 25-year-old woman, Kehinde Onizeokaraga, was allegedly hacked to death by her husband during a peace meeting in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
The deceased’s husband, Ibrahim Sodiq, popularly known as Alfa Eleran and said to be a meat seller, allegedly attacked her with a machete after a disagreement escalated at the residence of a family acquaintance in the Dallimore area of the town.
The couple, who are natives of Kogi State, had reportedly been battling persistent marital problems, prompting elders and family associates to intervene in an effort to save the marriage.
Sources said the meeting was held at the residence of Lamidi, described as a friend of the deceased’s father, who had volunteered to mediate after the marriage reportedly hit the rocks.
According to a source, the deceased had earlier moved out of her husband’s residence following unresolved disputes.
“I know the marriage had been in crisis for some time. The woman had already left the house because of serious disagreements. The husband later sought reconciliation, but she was reportedly unwilling to return,” the source said.
The mediation, however, reportedly took a bloody turn when an argument broke out, leading to the alleged machete attack.
Kehinde sustained multiple severe injuries and was confirmed dead, while the suspect allegedly fled the scene before he could be apprehended.
Her body has since been deposited in a morgue. Although the Ekiti State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement as of the time of filing this report, the victim’s family accused the suspect of carefully luring the deceased to the meeting.
Speaking on behalf of the family, the victim’s cousin, Lawrence Yusuf, alleged that Kehinde had already decided to quit the marriage after becoming uncomfortable with her husband’s alleged activities.
According to Yusuf, Kehinde was preparing to leave Ado-Ekiti when she received an invitation from the wife of Lamidi, who allegedly informed her that her husband wanted to see her.
He said she honoured the invitation without knowing that her husband would also be waiting at the venue.
Yusuf further alleged that following the killing, police arrested Lamidi, his wife and the man who reportedly stood as Ibrahim’s father during the couple’s wedding, while the prime suspect remains on the run.
He also alleged that Ibrahim escaped with Kehinde’s mobile phone, which the family believes contains valuable information that could aid police investigations.
“We want Sodiq to be found and arrested. We want justice for Kehinde. Her parents are devastated, and the entire family is in deep pain. She did not deserve to die this way,” Yusuf said.
The family appealed to security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspect and thoroughly investigate everyone allegedly connected with the circumstances surrounding the incident to determine their respective roles.