Tragedy struck the Ogbogoro community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State on Tuesday as a man identified simply as Austin allegedly beat his wife to death and abandoned her lifeless body inside a commercial tricycle, popularly known as a Keke NAPEP.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Nigerian Tribune that the incident was discovered early in the morning, prompting residents to alert security agencies.

According to the source, one of the deceased’s daughters informed police investigators that her parents had engaged in an argument before the situation allegedly turned violent.

The child was said to have told investigators that her father struck her mother during the altercation, causing her to collapse.

The source further alleged that Austin subsequently carried his wife into a tricycle and instructed the children to accompany them, ostensibly to seek medical attention.

However, upon realising that the woman had died, he allegedly abandoned both the corpse and the children inside the tricycle and fled.

The resident said:

“This morning, as I was preparing to open my shop, a neighbour informed me that Austin had killed his wife. I immediately went to the junction to verify the information and saw the woman’s lifeless body inside the tricycle, with the children around her.

“Before I arrived, police officers had already visited the scene. I learnt that the eldest daughter later led the police to the hotel where the family had been staying before the incident.

“The child told the police that her father beat her mother during an argument and she fell to the ground. According to what we heard, the family had earlier been facing accommodation challenges and had moved into a hotel after they were unable to continue paying rent for their apartment.

“The girl further explained that after her mother collapsed, her father placed her inside the tricycle, apparently intending to take her to the hospital. But when he realised that she had died, he abandoned her body and the children and fled.”

At the time of filing this report, the woman’s remains had reportedly not been removed from the tricycle, while police operatives were said to be continuing investigations into the incident.

Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the Rivers State Police Command were unsuccessful as of press time. (TRIBUNE)