Woman Assaulted By Her Husband over Missing N2,000 Two Days After She Secured His Release From Prison

The police in Lagos State have launched a manhunt for one Babatunde Igbara, a resident of Azeez Olaosebikan Street, in the Agege area of Lagos state, after he allegedly battered his wife’s eyes, PUNCH reports.

According to the report, Babatunde, who his wife spent about N20,000 to secure his release from Kirikiri prison two days earlier, approached his wife, Gbemisola Igbara, 38, demanding if she took the N2,000 he kept in the room.

Narrating what happened, Gbemisola said:

I was very weak that morning because of the stress I passed through to secure his bail from the prison over a land matter. He woke me up and asked if I took N2,000 from his clothes. I said no. When he continued to accuse me, I asked him why he thought I would steal his money when I spent over N20,000 and borrowed money from friends to facilitate his release.

I told him to stop disturbing me. He then started punching me in the face and my eyes became swollen. My children begged him, but he refused. It was our neighbours who rescued me from him. I am fed up; but I don’t want to pack out because of my children.

I can no longer bear the beating. He beats me to the point that I won’t be able to open my shop for days. I took a loan of N200,000 to start the business, but it has been difficult for me to repay it because of these troubles. I have reported to the police at the Abattoir division and they promised to get him arrested.

The victim said that she had reported a similar incident which happened about a year ago at the Ile Epo Police Division but her mother in-law persuaded her to withdraw the case.

When PUNCH spoke with Babatunde on the telephone, he denied battering his wife.

“I didn’t beat her. It was a lie. It was true that we had a misunderstanding that day but I never used my hands on her. She fell and hit her face on an object. I need to see you so that I can explain better. Our families have been trying to resolve it,” he said.

However, one of their neighbours, Akeem Alabi, gave a different account.

“Many people on our street know he has turned the woman to a punching bag. I decided to take her picture and post it on the internet after he beat her on Monday. I want rights activists and security agencies to come to her aid and ensure justice is served,” Alabi said.

Photo Credit: Afeez Hanafi | PUNCH