Odahiekwu Ogunde , Yenagoa
A housewife, identified as Mrs. Eniye Zuokemefa-Peter, has been arrested by the police for alleged conspiracy in the brutal killing of her husband, who was a lecturer at the Bayelsa State College of Education in Sagbama, Mr Enebraye Zuokemefa-Peter.
The arrest of Mrs. Zuokemefa-Peter on Sunday night was based on petitions from the family of the deceased and on complaints of previous threats to his life during domestic squabbles over issues of infidelity.
It was gathered that the deceased was shot three times by gunmen on Friday after transacting business at a Point-of-Sale (POS) along the old Assembly Quarters Road in Ekeki area of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
A family member, who pleaded anonymity, claimed that the accused wife had on several occasions threatened to kill her husband over allegations of having children outside their marriage due to her inability to bear him a child.
The source said, “The marriage is filled with turbulent tide with the woman packing out of her matrimonial home on several occasions but they recently made up when he arrived Yenagoa from a study trip abroad.”
It was also gathered that the deceased lecturer had in the past come under armed attacks at his home by masked gunmen, and was said to have told family members and close friends to hold his wife responsible if anything happened to him.
It was gathered on Monday that the police were on the trail of four persons suspected to have killed the university lecturer and were last seen driving a red tinted Toyota car.
“The vehicle was seen moving suspiciously around the resident of the deceased and were later seen sharing monies at a drinking spot few meters away from the scene of the crime,” a source said.
Spokesman for the Bayelsa State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the arrest but said she was picked up based on ‘previous threats’.
Recall that the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide had called on security agencies and the Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri to fish out the killers of Zuokemefa-Peter.
IYC President, Peter Timothy Igbifa, in a statement, condemned the killing of Zuokemefa-Peter, describing it as barbaric, unacceptable and irresponsible.
Igbifa said the deceased was a firm believer in Ijaw cause, an apostle of peace and a scholar, who never deserved to die in such a violent manner.