Man Accused Of Blinding Wife In Grisly Money Ritual Incident In Abia

The horrifying event took place on Saturday night, August 24, 2024, at Adiele Estate in Umueze Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area. Uzor, a native of Umuchieze in Bende LGA, reportedly used a knife to remove his wife’s eyes while she was asleep.

The violence didn’t end there. Uzor also assaulted his landlady, Madam Lovejane Nwaiwu, knocking out several of her teeth and cutting off her upper lip.

Madam Nwaiwu, who is now receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre in Umuahia, recounted the terrifying ordeal. She explained that she heard unusual noises coming from the couple’s apartment late that night. Concerned, she went to check on them.

“Around 10 pm, I heard Lawrence shouting ‘Odogwu, Odogwu (mighty, mighty)’, which was unusual because he and his wife, Amarachi, didn’t usually pray like that,” she said. “I became restless and couldn’t sleep until midnight. At around 1 am, I heard Amarachi, a 38-year-old teacher at a private school in Umuahia, screaming, ‘Mummy, I’ve been killed!'”

Madam Nwaiwu rushed to the couple’s apartment and peered through their bedroom window, where she saw Lawrence pinning his wife down with a knife in his hand.

Desperately trying to alert the neighbors, she called for help but received no response. Eventually, she knocked on their door, and Lawrence, still holding the knife, emerged and attacked her. In her attempt to protect herself, she sustained injuries to her hand and face, resulting in the loss of several upper teeth.

Fleeing into her home, she locked herself in while Lawrence ran to a neighbor’s house, claiming he had killed both his wife and his landlady. Fortunately, Madam Nwaiwu was able to contact her family, who alerted a church neighbor and the local vigilante team. They quickly apprehended Lawrence.

Abia State First Lady, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, which occurred just days after she signed an agreement with the UNFPA to combat gender-based violence. During a visit to the victims at the Federal Medical Centre, she pledged to ensure that Amarachi receives the necessary care and protection.

“This is a heinous act of violence and attempted murder,” Mrs. Otti stated, vowing that the state government would take firm action against such crimes. She commended the Umueze Ibeku community for their swift response and assured them of continued collaboration with the state’s gender-based violence response team. The First Lady also provided financial assistance for the victims’ medical treatment and upkeep.

The Medical Director of FMC Umuahia, Prof. Azubuike Onyebuchi, represented by Mrs. Aisha Onyemaobi, reported that Amarachi was deeply asleep when her husband began his vicious attack. Despite the severity of her injuries, the hospital is optimistic about her recovery, while Lawrence remains in police custody.

The Umueze Ibeku community chairman, Tutus Jonah, who also serves as the General Manager of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, confirmed the incident. He noted that the couple had appeared to live harmoniously until the day of the attack. He mentioned that Lawrence had recently visited a prayer house and a local stream with ritual items, which may have influenced his actions.

In the wake of the tragedy, Amarachi’s sister, Ijeoma Okpokiri, and cousin, Chioma Okpokiri, pleaded with the Inspector General of Police and the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, to ensure justice is served and to support their sister’s recovery.

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