A man, Chidi (30) has been accused by his wife’s family of forcing her to have a baby in their apartment and refusing to take her to hospital when she started bleeding.

The deceased, Nkechi, delivered a baby girl and bled to death in their apartment at Chinedu Ogah Street, Kpirikpiri Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

A patent medicine dealer allegedly attended to the woman during labour with her husband’s consent.

Eyewitnesses claimed that immediately Nkechi had the baby, she started bleeding. By the time she was taken to Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki by neighbours, she was already dead.

The incident occurred between 11: pm and 3: am on Saturday. Chidi, a student of Nigeria Law School, had since been arrested by police over the incident.

He was alleged to have expressed displeasure over his wife giving birth to another baby girl. The couple already had two girls.

Chidi was alleged to have refused to take Nkechi to hospital when she started bleeding, angry that she delivered another baby girl. He was further alleged to have watched his wife, who had previously delivered twice through caesarean section, battle with labour pains in their bathroom. It was claimed that Nkechi, during labour, was locked up in the bathroom by the patent medicine seller invited by Chidi.

The medicine seller was said to have brought the baby out after administering injections on her. The woman was allegedly given injection after her husband pinned her down and held her two legs. Her blood and the baby’s placenta were alleged to have been collected and hidden.

Nkechi, a businesswoman, sold drinks and pepper soup and used proceeds from the business to sponsor her husband to school.

A nurse, Ijeoma Chinoyerem, who lives in the same compound with the couple and works with Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital (AE-FUTHA), said: “I went out with my aunt. When I returned, I was called. I rushed to their apartment with my aunt. I thought Nkechi had given birth. But on getting there, I saw Ogo, carrying a new born baby. The baby was already dressed. I saw Nkechi in a pool of blood, on the ground. The husband was by the side, while the so called traditional birth attendant was at her back, holding clothes stained with blood.”

The nurse further said: “I went down and asked Ogo if the baby’s cord has been tied. The birth attendant said yes. I also asked of the placenta; I was told that it was safe. I bent down to check her; I found out that her body was cold. I checked for pulse, I couldn’t get any. I touched her neck, it was cold, I raised the alarm. Other neighbours gathered. Everyone admitted hearing when the woman was in labour.

“After that, we now decided to take her to the mortuary. As we carried her, blood continued to gush out. When I got to that apartment, I did all I could to restore life, but it was futile.”

Nkechi’s elder sister, Mrs. Chibuike Njideka, blamed Chidi for the tragedy. She was angry that Chidi brought a patent medicine dealer to attend to her sister during labour, instead of taking her to hospital.

Njideka accused Chidi of deliberately killing Nkechi, calling for police investigation and prosecution.

Njideka, who described her sister as a breadwinner of her family, called for assistance in the upkeep of Nkechi’s three daughters.

Meanwhile, men of Kpirikpiri Police Station have arrested Chidi. He has been transferred to the state police headquarters, Abakaliki.

The Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), a Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP), Loveth Odah, when contacted, said that she had not been briefed on the matter.

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