The Rivers State Police Command on Thursday said it had arrested a man identified as Michael Chidozie, for allegedly beating up and strangling his wife, a mother of three, in their residence in Mile 4, near Port Harcourt, the state capital.
It was learnt that the victim, Mrs Ufuoma Eriera Chidozie, who hailed from Delta State, allegedly died after sustaining injuries resulting from the beating in the early hours of Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
The children the couple had together are aged 10, seven and five respectively, all males.
A source in the area who pleaded anonymity said the deceased’s husband (Chidozie) put a call across to his late wife’s brother to come because there was an emergency at home, but fled before his in-law arrived.
“When the late woman’s brother arrived, the house was open and quiet. He then went in only to find the lifeless body of his sister. He shouted and called out the name of the woman’s husband.
“But he was nowhere to be found and there was no trace of him. Since then, they have been looking for him and even reported the matter to the police,” the source said.
He further revealed that before now, the couple had been having issues over financial troubles in their home, adding that the man had been complaining about this to some of his close friends.
It was gathered that the suspect was however arrested on Wednesday morning, March 6, 2024 by the Agip Police Division, Mile 4, Port Harcourt after it acted on credible intelligence.
The spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident when our correspondent contacted her, saying the suspect was in detention and investigation ongoing.
Iringe-Koko disclosed that following his arrest, the suspect was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department in Port Harcourt for discreet investigation.
According to her, “The suspect has been arrested. He has been transferred to the SCIID for discreet and proper investigation.”
It was learnt that the woman’s corpse has been deposited in the mortuary, as the police and the family had agreed on an autopsy as part of the investigations before she would be buried.
