The
Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 36-year-old man, Daniel
Kanjo, for allegedly killing his 24-year-old wife, Meno Kanjo, in
Elemoro, Ajah area of the state. According to police investigations,
Daniel stabbed his wife to death after catching her making love to
another man in a bush near their home. According to a police source at
Elemoro Divison, after stabbing his wife many times, the suspect also
stabbed himself in the stomach and in the neck. The suspect and the wife
were thought to be dead, forcing the residents to call the police to
evacuate the corpses As policemen were packing the corpses to the
mortuary, Daniel was, however, discovered to be breathing and was
immediately rushed to the hospital.
The suspect, who had been discharged, told
PUNCH Metro that
the incident was the work of the devil. He said he loved his wife dearly
and never hit her prior to the incident, adding that when he caught her
red-handed committing adultery, he lost control. He said, “I am from
Benin Republic but I have been living in Nigeria since 2001. I have two
wives. My first wife has six children for me. However in 2010, I got
married to Meno (the deceased) and we have a one-year-old child
together. “I am a bricklayer by vocation and I have never denied Meno of
anything, even though she was a hairdresser and was making money. I was
also faithful to her and showed her love.” Narrating what transpired on
the fateful day, the suspect said he came back from work in the
afternoon and needed to collect something from the deceased.
He said as he was looking for her in the house, he was drawn by
sounds emanating from a nearby bush. He said, “When I heard the sound
coming from the bush, I moved near and saw my wife having sex with a
strange man. As I moved closer, the man saw me and ran away. But I was
able to grab my wife and I gave her the beating of her life. “I did not
know what came over me, but I took a knife and stabbed her all over her
body. Before I realised what happened, the devil also pushed me to stab
myself. I stabbed myself in the stomach and also slit my throat.” Daniel
said some of his neighbours, who were drawn by the noise, started
beating him up when they saw his wife on the ground. He said, “After
stabbing myself, I was still moving on the floor although I was weak.
Some people came around and started beating me, saying that I must
die too since I had killed my wife. They beat me up and took
photographs. When I woke up, I found myself in the hospital.” The
suspect urged the police to release him as he was not himself when he
was committing the crime. He said if he was sent to prison, his children
would suffer. He said, “My first born is 13 years old while my youngest
child is a year old. I pay their school fees and I am responsible for
their upkeep. If I am sent to prison, they will all suffer.” The Deputy
Police Public Relations Officer for the state command, Damasus Ozoani,
said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation
Department.”
by Eniola Akinkuotu