The First Lady of Anambra State, Mrs. Nonye Soludo, has pledged to ensure justice is served in the case of Mr. Sunday Nwaka, who allegedly set his wife, Mrs. Blessing Nwaka, on fire in Abagana, Njikoka Local Government Area. Mrs. Soludo expressed her determination after receiving a briefing on the tragic incident from the Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Mrs. Ify Obinabo, and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, whom she had tasked with visiting the scene immediately.
The horrific incident, which went viral on social media, shows Mrs. Blessing Nwaka, a mother of five, with severe third-degree burns across her torso and other parts of her body. Eyewitnesses reported that Mr. Sunday Nwaka, a middle-aged man who relied on his wife’s petty business to support their family, allegedly poured fuel on her and set her ablaze following a domestic dispute.
Neighbors and passersby managed to extinguish the flames, but the victim sustained critical injuries. She was rushed to a medical facility in Enugwu-Ukwu, where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead around 3 a.m.
The suspect, Mr. Sunday Nwaka, has been taken into police custody and is expected to face prosecution soon.
Reacting to the tragedy, Mrs. Soludo condemned the act as “gruesome and evil” and reaffirmed the state government’s zero-tolerance policy for domestic violence and abuse. She emphasized that such heinous crimes would be met with the full weight of the law.
Mrs. Soludo also expressed concern over the increasing cases of domestic violence and called for comprehensive social reforms, including addressing drug abuse and other root causes. She reassured the public that the state government is exploring measures to ensure the welfare of the couple’s five children, who have been left orphaned by the incident.
This case has sparked widespread outrage, with calls for justice and stricter measures to curb domestic violence in the state.
