The Police in Anambra has commenced investigation into the cause of the suicide committed by one Daniel Okafor after bathing his wife, Pauline with acid on Tuesday at Nsugbe, near Onitsha.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, said the suspect seemed to have drank some quantity of the chemical he poured on his wife after the incident.
“He was later certified dead by a medical doctor while receiving treatment and his corpse deposited at Apex Mortuary for autopsy,” Mohammed said.
NAN gathered that the victim, a nurse, who suffered the acid attack from her husband, was referred to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi from Immaculate Heart Hospital, Onitsha for proper medical care.
A doctor at the Accident and Emergency ward of the Teaching Hospital, who pleaded anonymity, said she was received at about 7p.m. on Wednesday.
“Due to her critical condition, we cannot allow visitors near her now, but I can assure you that she is responding to treatment,” the source said.
The incident occurred at about 8p.m. on Tuesday at Chinonso Chemist shop close to Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe in Anambra East Local Government Area of the state.
An eye witness, Mr Clement Ekwenugo who expressed shock at the development, told NAN that the couple had disagreements before now concerning the choice of their son as the next of kin on a land and house which belonged to the nurse.
“The nurse bought the land from her in-law and used her son’s name as next of kin, but this angered her husband.
“Pauline was in her Chemist shop when the husband came in from behind the house through a fence to bathe his wife with the acid, who then ran out for help. This is the first time we are experiencing this type of incident in Nsugbe.”
Another source, Miss Ogochukwu Chukwulobe said, “We thought the matter was over when this incident occurred.
“He seemed prepared for his own death after pouring the acid on my madam because he drank another acid in a small container in his pocket and went outside where he fell into a drain.
“This has not happened in this town before; I am not happy because my madam who I am learning chemist business from is the victim,” she added.
