A widow identified as Mrs. Chika Ndubuisi, from her husband’s kinsmen in Awo-Omamma, Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State, who was allegedly forced to drink water used in bathing her late husband’s corpse in a bid to prove her innocence over his death, has been rescued by the state government.
According to reports, the incident drew the attention of the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare after a women’s advocacy group raised the alarm exposing the cruel act.
Reacting to the development, the Imo state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Lady Nkechinyere Ugwu, strongly condemned the action, describing it as “an inhuman widowhood practice that has become outdated.”
Ugwu expressed shock that such a practice could still exist in modern times, lamenting that “a widow who is already undergoing the trauma of losing her husband would be coerced by her late husband’s kinsmen to partake in a ritual involving drinking from the water used in bathing his corpse.”
The commissioner described the act as “barbaric, cruel, and completely unacceptable in a civilised society.”
Also reacting to the incident, the wife of the state governor, Chioma Uzodinma, ordered an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the incident to ensure that those involved face the full weight of the law.
According to the Commissioner, the widow had been detained alongside her husband’s corpse by his relatives, who accused her of being responsible for his death.
Her husband’s family allegedly attempted to force her to drink the water to prove her innocence before government officials intervened.
“The swift intervention of the Ministry, in collaboration with the Local Council Authority and security agencies, halted the attempt following the alert raised by the women’s group,” Ugwu stated, according to Daily Post.
She further explained that the ministry’s coordinated response, involving the chairman of the local council and some non-governmental organisations, led to the rescue of Mrs. Ndubuisi and her children.
“Normalcy has been restored, and a detailed investigation is underway. Mrs. Ndubuisi and her children are under government protection,” the Commissioner confirmed, adding that several arrests had been made in connection with the incident. [
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