A woman from Rivers State, Favour Nweke, who recently poured hot groundnut oil on her husband, Ekelediri Nwokekoro, in Okehi, Etche Local Government Area, has provided an explanation for her actions.
During a media briefing at the Rivers State Police Command’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, Nweke addressed the incident, which took place on Friday while she was presented before journalists. She had fled her home after realizing the gravity of her actions but was apprehended by a vigilante group and handed over to the police on Thursday morning.
Nweke, who appeared with handcuffs, maintained her composure and refuted allegations of having an extramarital affair.
She explained, “He would go out at around 2 o’clock in the night and return early in the morning. Sometimes he would leave for two or three days before coming back, and I would ask him where he was going. Then, one of his friends contacted me and informed me about the situation. He said that my husband and some others were involved in an illegal activity. They had invited someone from Abuja to work in Etche, offering a contract worth N20 million. However, they swindled the person.
“I had no prior knowledge of this. That’s when I understood why he had been acting strangely and planning to travel to another African country. So, when he returned, I confronted him about it, and he denied it, leading to an argument. I questioned him about his share of the money, as I had heard that some people had used their shares to buy land. I asked him what he did with his share. As we argued that morning, he hit me, and I impulsively grabbed the hot oil from the kitchen and poured it on him. That’s how it happened.”
In her plea for forgiveness, Nweke denied any involvement in extramarital affairs, expressing remorse for her actions. She said, “I feel bad. If I had known it would turn out like this, I would never have done it. I would have just gone to stay elsewhere. I am begging Nigerians to forgive me.”
Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Emeka Nwonyi, assured the public that Nweke would face the legal consequences of her actions. He stated, “I can assure you that the person has been arrested and is here with us. The law will take its course, and anyone who takes the law into their own hands will face the necessary sanctions.”