Man in custody over death of police wife

Afeez Hanafi

The police in Ogun State are awaiting an autopsy report to unravel the cause of death of a policewoman, identified as Sergeant Remi.

Meanwhile, the command has taken the policewoman’s husband, Afolabi Farayola, into custody for investigations.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Remi was attached to the Area G Command, Ogba, Lagos State, but lived with the husband in Campbell, Agbado, in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.

It was gathered that Farayola’s two children whom he had before the marriage to Remi, also resided with them in a newly rented mini-flat in the area.

The couple reportedly had a history of domestic violence, which partly led to their relocation from their former house.

Our correspondent learnt that Remi returned from work around 5pm on Saturday, January 20, and met Farayola and his elder son at home.

She reportedly sent the boy to refill a gas cylinder at a shop in the neighbourhood.

The boy returned and reportedly met her unconscious.

 He was said to have given her water to drink while their landlord and a pastor joined the husband to rush her to a private hospital.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the hospital referred her to a general hospital, where she died.

Farayola was said to have called his wife’s family members in Ekiti State and informed them of the death.

One of the deceased’s relatives was said to have reported a case against the husband at the Agbado Police Division and he was arrested.

A police source told our correspondent that the suspect’s first son told the police his father used to beat the deceased, but stopped after they moved to the new apartment.

The source said, “The case was reported to the police on January 27, a week after the incident happened, by the deceased’s uncle. He said the family suspected foul play on the grounds that there had been alleged incidents of assault on the woman by her husband.

“The husband denied ever beating his wife, but his son admitted that he used to beat her while they were living in their former house. They relocated to the community a few months ago.

“The boy said when he came back from where he refilled the gas cylinder, he met his stepmother in the living room almost unconscious. He said he rushed to get her water while his father, who was in the bedroom, also came out to attend to her. The woman took the water, but her condition did not improve.

“The boy rushed to call a pastor, who prayed for her.  Their landlord arrived home during the prayer and they took her to a private hospital. She was referred to the general hospital where she died. The landlord said he never settled a quarrel for the couple since they moved into his house.”

A colleague of the deceased, who did not want her name in print, said Afolabi had been parading himself as a colonel, until his arrest.

 “But enquiries from the Nigerian Army revealed that he was lying. He and Remi had been together for some years now. She was serving at the Area G Command. Her death was suspicious and painful. Something must have happened within the time the boy went to buy gas,” she added.

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigations.

He said, “The man claimed that his wife was unconscious and that he gave her water to drink. He said she slumped and was rushed to the hospital where she died. But the family of the woman accused him of having a hand in her death.

“He was arrested and the state Commissioner of Police directed that the case should be transferred to the Homicide Section of the SCIID. We are still awaiting the autopsy report from the pathologists to aid our investigations. The relatives of the woman are being carried along. We will leave no stone unturned.”

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