The Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare says it has arrested one Esther Obidigwe and her two adult children – Ozioma Obidigwe and Obuka Obidigwe – allegedly for physical assault on 75-year-old Romanus Obidigwe, their husband and dad respectively.
The media aide to Women Affairs Commissioner, Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday [today], said the trio was arrested after Mr. Obidigwe had reported the incident to the ministry.
Sharing his experience with his family at the office of the commissioner, the septuagenarian, a retired senior civil servant, alleged that his family had been in the habit of beating him for a long time.
He said what caused the latest incident was that his daughter, Ozioma, sold his firewood without his consent and that when he tried to know why she did so, she and other family members allegedly pounced on him, tied him up and used a rod to inflict injuries on him.
Mr. Obidigwe further claimed that the trio had since stopped preparing his food, saying he didn’t mind. He said they usually stole from him and pointed out his son, Obuka, who he alleged had gone to local government where he retired from to claim his benefits.
The man lamented that it was for the sake of peace that he gave in to his wife’s compulsory “no sexual relationship” since 2000 till date.
He also noted that it took the intervention of a neighbour before they allegedly stopped beating him after which they locked him out of his compound.
When the accused family members were asked why they inflicted so much injury on their aged father, his son, Obuka, denied being present when the incident happened; while his wife, Mrs. Esther Obidigwe, confessed to the crime. The daughter, Ozioma, alleged that it was what the father wanted to do to her that turned her against him.
The Women Affairs boss, Ify Obinabo, promised to ensure that justice is served as appropriate; while the suspects have been handed over to the police for interrogations and prosecution later.
