A widow, Mrs. Chika Ndubuisi, has been rescued from her husband’s kinsmen in Awo-Omamma, Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State, after they allegedly attempted to force her to drink the water used in bathing her late husband’s corpse.
The barbaric act was reportedly meant to prove her innocence over her husband’s death. The attempt was foiled following the swift intervention of the Imo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Lady Nkechinyere Ugwu, alongside the local council authorities and security operatives.
According to reports, a women’s advocacy group raised an alarm that alerted the authorities to the incident, prompting immediate government action that led to Mrs. Ndubuisi’s rescue.
Condemning the act, Lady Ugwu described it as a “cruel and outdated widowhood practice” that has no place in a modern society. She expressed dismay that such inhuman treatment could still be meted out to a grieving widow.
“Normalcy has been restored, and a detailed investigation is underway. The widow, Mrs. Ndubuisi, and her children are now under government protection,” the commissioner stated.
She further confirmed that the Ministry, in collaboration with the Chairman of Oru East Local Government and some Non-Governmental Organisations, facilitated the rescue and that several suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Before her rescue, it was gathered that the widow had been detained alongside her husband’s corpse by his kinsmen, who accused her of causing his death.
Meanwhile, the wife of the state governor, Chioma Uzodinma, has ordered a full-scale investigation into the case to ensure that all those involved face the full weight of the law.
