A man in Oko-Filling, Araromi, Ijoko, Sango Ota, was rescued by local residents after allegedly being tied up, gagged, and left for dead by his wife and children following a dispute over his retirement benefits.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, March 13, at the family’s residence. Reports indicate that after receiving his retirement payout, the man allocated N3 million to his wife and set up two shops for her in Abule. He also purchased a N12 million vehicle for himself, despite already owning a home in the area.
However, tensions arose when his wife and four sons—university graduates—became dissatisfied with how he distributed the funds, pressuring him to hand over more money.
Neighbors grew suspicious after noticing he had recently sold his new vehicle. Their concerns were confirmed when a local landlord discovered the man bound inside his home, his mouth, hands, and feet tightly restrained.
“He was tied up like an animal ready for slaughter,” a witness told The Nation. “His wife and children hired about six men to restrain him. The commotion from their packing alerted residents, who gathered outside to investigate. When questioned, the family gave vague answers, prompting neighbors to force their way inside, where they found the man completely tied up, with the hired men still in the house as if waiting to kill him.”
The victim was immediately untied and taken to the hospital, where he remains under medical care. His wife, children, and the hired men were subsequently arrested and taken to the police station.
One of the suspects reportedly confessed that the man’s wife had orchestrated the attack.
Further details emerged from an audio recording by the chairman of the Anjomo Community Development Association (CDA), Emmanuel Omola. He revealed that the woman had previously reported to the police that her husband intended to harm her but never followed up on the case.
“On the evening of March 12, she went to the police, claiming her husband wanted to kill her,” Omola stated. “The police instructed her to arrange transportation for officers to intervene, but she never returned. Instead, she went home, hired men to restrain her husband, and began packing belongings, which raised the alarm among neighbors.”
Omola urged the public to remain vigilant and respond swiftly to unusual disturbances in their communities.
“If the landlords had ignored the noise, the man would have been killed. We should always ask questions and act quickly when we hear suspicious sounds in our surroundings,” he warned.
Reports indicate that the victim sustained severe injuries, including a swollen genital area, and remains under medical supervision. Meanwhile, his wife, children, and the hired men are in police custody as investigations continue.
