Twenty-seven-year-old Chiamaka Okechi will forever live with the scar of an ugly wound inflicted on her by the man she got married to 13 years ago.
It was learnt that Okechi, a mother of eight children, who were forced into early marriage at the age of 13, had been always been a victim of domestic abuse as she was regularly beaten and battered by the alleged perpetrator and husband, Mr Obinwanne Chiafo.
Okechi, who hails from Ezeama Mgbagbuowa in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, had endured years of torture, and physical and emotional abuse from Chiafo, who hails from the same village as her.
Okechi, who narrated her ordeal said Chaifo, father of her eight children, said she has severely battered and forcefully ejected her from their matrimonial home five years ago, including taking custody of her six children. She has not been allowed access to these children.
She said her estranged husband on Saturday 21st August 2020, came to her house, unleashed terror on her and inflicted her with a deep head injury.
Meanwhile, Egodi Igwe, the Communications Officer of Women Aid Collective (WACOL), who narrated the story in a statement made available in Enugu on Saturday, said Okechi reported the incident in their office still carrying pains inflicted on her head by her estranged husband.
According to Egodi, “Okechi entered into an early forced marriage at the age of 13 and started giving birth early with the result that she dropped out of school and eventually could not complete her education.
“Her 13-year-old marriage has been a tale of woes as she has endured several forms of violence and abuse from her spouse.
“The victim, who is now 27 years old, with eight children, currently lives in a mud house without any significant source of livelihood apart from her little subsistence farming within her immediate environment.
“She had endured years of torture, physical and emotional abuse from the husband and alleged perpetrator, Mr Obinwanne Chiafo, who hails from the same village as her.
“Okechi visited the “Women House” WACOL on August 24th 2020 to report and narrate her ordeal. She presented before the team of WACOL lawyers with a deep head injury which was inflicted on her by her estranged husband.
“She narrated how the father of her children severely battered her, and forcefully ejected her from their matrimonial home five years ago, including taking custody of her six children. She has not been allowed access to these children.
“She further noted that the perpetrator has married two different women after he forcefully evicted her, but she never objected notwithstanding he still comes around her parents’ house to regularly assault her.
“The victim further revealed that her estranged husband returned in 2019 to ask for forgiveness, which she accepted, but unfortunately, he got her pregnant with an eighth child and he abandoned her again.
“On Saturday the 21st of August 2020, the estranged husband's tormentor came to her house, and unleashed terror on her and on that fateful day, Obinwanne violently kicked down her door, dragged her on the floor and bounced on her and hit her head with iron head and ran away which prompted her to come for help to WACOL”.
She told WACOL that after the incident, she has been suffering from severe pains on her head and chest and has been having sleepless nights, adding that she is unable to go back home for the past three days out of fear that the perpetrator could return and carry out his threat to kill her.
In her plea, she further stated: “I want WACOL and law enforcement agencies to assist me to arrest this man because I don’t want to die and I have nobody to run to. Please help me,” she pleaded.
WACOL Communication Officers said Okechi was personally received by the Founder and Executive Director of WACOL, Professor Joy Ngozi Ezeilo (OON), who assured her of WACOL’s unflinching support to ensure that she gets justice and treatment for her injury, adding that a prelude to other assistance, Prof Ezeilo gave her the sum of N10,000 to take care of her immediate needs.
She also disclosed that Okechi will also receive medical treatment, free legal aid, counselling and psychosocial support adding “WACOL legal clinic will also follow up with relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure that the perpetrator is arraigned and properly charged for grievous bodily injury, including murder threats.
As of the time of filing this report, all efforts to get the reaction of the Police Public Relations Officer of Enugu State Police Command, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, proved abortive as he did not pick up his calls.