A 69-year-old widow, Ifeoma Philomena Ajuluchukwu, has been beaten to death by her stepson in Anambra State.
The Anambra State Government has launched an investigation into the circumstances that led to her demise.
The State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Hon Ify Obinabo, who made this known in a statement on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, said the widow died after she was brutalized by her stepson, Chiugo Emmanuel Ajuluchukwu, in her compound in Ojoto, Idemili South council area of the state.
According to the statement signed by the media aide to the commissioner, Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, the matter came to light after the son of the deceased, Onyebuchi Christopher Ajuluchukwu reached out to the ministry.
“According to the son, his late father married two wives but unfortunately lived with only his mother while the first wife remarried a long time ago and wedded in Port Harcourt but upon the first wife’s death, the son who is equally his step brother, Chiugo Emmanuel Ajuluchukwu, trained by his mother swore never to let his mother have peace in the compound,” the statement read.
“Mr. Onyebuchi further revealed that it was in the bid for the stepbrother to bury his mother in the family compound which no one objected to that he started removing the roof over their mother’s room and vowed to deal with her mercilessly.
“The son of the deceased also stated that his step brother did not stop there but went further to beat up his mother, who at the time was already sick. He said that it was while beating her that neighbors gathered and took his mother to the hospital, where she finally gave up and joined her ancestors.
“Mr. Onyebuchi Ajuluchukwu there called on government to run to his aid and give justice to his late mother and at the same time restore lasting peace and solution in their family as the step brother has been tirelessly using different security apparatus to fight him and his siblings because they don’t have money.”
Responding, Obinabo assured him that she will look into the matter and get justice for his late mother.
The Women Affairs boss used the opportunity to warn that anyone caught maltreating any widow in the state will be handled like a criminal because it is against the law.
She urged members of the public to always report any act of crime within and outside the neighborhood for the betterment of the state.
