You know I have spent very much money on my wife? I have killed her”. These were the words of the husband of the late Lydia Ekundaya John to the man from whose house he married the wife he killed on Monday, May 23, 2011.
Linus Akira, an inspector with the Nigeria Police in Abuja, told Sunday Trust that he was shocked when he received a phone call from Peter Michael Agbala, the son of a Deputy Superintendent of Police who married his sister-in-law. Peter and his wife were living in Otukpo, in Benue State and had travelled down to Suleja in Niger State to settle a quarrel between them. Inspector Akira was shocked because the quarrel had been settled; he couldn’t fathom why his sister-in-law should be killed by her husband in his house.
“I couldn’t believe my ears,” the police officer said. “I was shocked to my bones.”
How did the love-turn-sour story begin? Mrs Grace Akira, Lydia’s elder brother, told our reporter that the relationship between her late younger sister and Peter actually commenced during Christmas in 2005.
“Lydia was a dazzling young teenager who was living with me,” the woman explained. “Lydia was about to write her final year exam at the Government Technical College, Suleja when she left for Eto-Ogo Itapa-Eto in Obi LGA of Benue State to celebrate Christmas. Other young people like her also left their bases for the village because of the festivities. Among them was Peter Michael Agbala, whose father is a top police officer working in Enugu State.”
Lydia’s beauty must have attracted Peter to her. She must have felt at home with a son of a police officer staying in the house of a police officer back in Suleja, and the affair led to marriage. Sunday Trust learnt that Lydia had to abandon her studies. They had a traditional marriage.
Sunday Trust gathered from other family sources who would not want to be named that marriage didn’t take away the love of fitting dresses from Lydia. She still loved to look young and attractive in fitted jeans in spite of her marriage. But Peter would have nothing like that. That was the beginning of the problem in the union.
Sunday Trust gathered further that on three occasions, they had bitter quarrels to the point that Peter seriously beat Lydia. Peter allegedly threatened to kill his wife on those occasions. Mr. Akira’s family settled them.
Grace said she warned both of them to ensure they remained faithful to their marriage vows and the coupled reconciled.
The woman explained thus: “But the reconciliation was short-lived. On Friday, May 20, Lydia came to Suleja from Otukpo in Benue State. Her mission was to report her husband’s alleged brutality on her. The next day, Peter also came in. He complained that Lydia was wearing trousers that would make men to eye her. Lydia, on her part, complained that Peter was in the habit of beating her up, and that she was no longer interested in the marriage.”
All the same, Mr. Akira’s family settled them. Sunday Trust gathered that the two agreed to live together in peace. A family source told our report that the settlement didn’t assuage Peter’s jealousy. He suspected that the mobile telephone numbers of any male on her handset were those of her lovers. So, he deleted all of them.
Grace explained the events that led to the death of her sister on Monday, May 23: “Peter wanted to take his family back to Otukpo. His wife refused. She wanted to wash her children’s wears. Peter, too, would not agree. He insisted they must leave for Otukpo. She resisted. We had to plead with them. Peter agreed that they should wait, and we left them in the London Quarters, Kwamba Low Cost where the Peters were staying.”
What happened thereafter was unimaginable. Did Lydia disobeyed Peter or did he just vent his anger on her?
The next thing Mrs Grace Akira knew was that Peter took their two children to her, saying Lydia was on her way and that he would go and buy something in Suleja town. She didn’t notice anything strange in his conduct. The two children were too young to say anything.
About three hours later, Inspector Akira said he got a call from Peter. He said Peter told him “Abai, you know, I have spent money very much on my wife? I have killed her.” But Mr. Akira could not detect exultation in his voice. The word Abai he used in addressing Mr. Akira means master.
Inspector Akira told Sunday Trust that Peter’s number went dead thereafter. All calls to it did not go through. It was later realized that he had told his parents also that he had killed his wife.
Lydia’s decomposing body was later found under rags in the store of the house. The noose of a thick rope was tight around her neck. The other end of the rope was tied to a rod. Her tongue was thrust out. I could never go back again without external aid.
The case has been reported to the ‘A’ Division of the Nigeria Police in Suleja, where officials said they had no authority to speak to journalists. When contacted, the Niger State police spokesman, Mr. Richard Oguche, confirmed the murder, adding that the police is investigating the crime.
