Taofeek Badaru — Suspect
The advent of the Global System Mobile Communication (GSM) phones in Nigeria about a decade ago was generally adjudged a welcome development. It was a far cry from, and good riddance to the hitherto epileptic and restricted telecom services provided by the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL). With the GSM services, Nigerians have unrestricted access to communication irrespective of status and creed. However, much as the services brought joy to its numerous subscribers, it nevertheless, has caused untold disaffection amongst many families. Many relationship and of course, marriages, have long packed up in the wake of this services in the country. Unfaithful partners have been detected through surreptitious conversations and or text messages. Such illicit conversations with an alleged male lover recently sent a mother of five to an early grave by an angry and jealous husband.
In the beginning
Mrs Titilayo Taofeek Badaru, a 30 -year-old petty trader met her man, Mr. Taofeek Badaru 31, about 12 years ago. While she was undergoing apprenticeship as a trader, her suitor was equally learning bricklaying. They courted briefly and got married shortly afterwards. The marriage which was blessed with five children was described by family members and acquaintances as a blissful union until Mrs Titilayo acquired a GSM handset. Consequently, strange telephone numbers especially, those belonging to male friends, started featuring in her phone book. Amorous text messages, illicit and late night conversations became a recurring decimal. These drew the ire of her husband who was reported to have confronted her on several occasions. But she was reported to have denied the allegations; accusing her husband of unwarranted jealousy. However, her alleged secret affairs got to a head last week Sunday, April 3, 2011, after her husband returned from a social outing, pretended to be drunk and staggered out to get some food items for the kids. Unknown to Titi who is also called Saida, her man was only feigning drunk and had actually sat behind their window when her handset rang to determine who the caller was. And true to his suspicion, his wife was conversing and fixing appointment with a male friend, ostensibly her surrogate husband. Apparently unable to control his emotions, Mr. Badaru stormed their one bedroom apartment and demanded to know who his wife had been conversing with. He was perhaps, too angry to listen to her wife’s defence as he dealt her several blows; sending her gasping for air. She was said to have struggled and forced her way to a neighbour’s room where she collapsed and died moments after. In the mean time, satisfied with the beating, Mr. Badaru retired to a nearby drinking joint to have some beer only to be called later that his wife was dying. Before he rushed to the room, his lifetime lover was already stone dead!
Arrest and confession
At the homicide section of the dreaded State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti Yaba, Lagos, Mr. Taofeek Badaru, the 31-year-old Toko, Ogun state born bricklayer told Crime Alert amid tears that he never meant to kill his wife. He stated that both of them took blood oath never to leave each other while courting saying, since he met his wife he has remained faithful to her. According to him, “ Titilayo is the love of my life. She was like a sister, a mother and a wife. Why should I kill the mother of my five children, for whatever reason? That day, Sunday April 3, 2011, my wife, our children and I went out since it was on a Sunday because that day is a free day for me. Later when we came back, I went out with one of my friends to have a drink nearby. At about 9. 30pm, I came back home but she told me that she would like to eat bread and fried eggs and I opted to go and buy them for her. But she said I was drunk that I should allow her to go for the items but I insisted. Just then, her phone rang and I quickly staggered out pretending to be heavily drunk only to hide behind our window to listen to whoever was the caller. I know she is dead now, she can hear but I cannot hear or see her; so it will be wrong as a Moslem, to speak ill of the dead. When I earlier noticed the change in her attitude towards me, I confronted her severally that she was having illicit affairs but she flatly denied the allegations. I had constantly reminded her that she should not cheat me because we were under blood oath but she seemed to have thrown that oath to the dogs. So that day, her phone rang and I pretended to be heavily drunk and staggered out and hid behind our window where I listened to all her conversations with one Ade. But when I came back to the room and demanded to know who Ade was, she said it was her brother, one Dauda that she was talking with. I demanded to see the number and call it back but she will not allow me. So in anger, I slapped her. The next punch went straight to her stomach and she forced her way into a neighbour’s room while holding tight to her belly shouting my stomach, my stomach. Since I got to know her, she had always complained of stomach problem and even before we packed to this new place, Temidire Kola street in Ipaja; my landlady revived her severally while I was away. I think she has serious stomach problem. Having escaped to a neighbour’s room, I left in anger to a nearby joint and tried to forget what had happened by calling for a bottle of beer only for one of my nieghbours to rush out calling on me that my wife was dying. In the rain I dashed to her room, picked her up and was rushing to a nearby clinic even as I was begging her to forgive me not knowing that she was already dead. It was when we got to the hospital that doctor declared her dead. I loved my wife, I love her so much even in death. My greatest problem now is how to take care of our five children all alone; because they are still very young. Our first child is only eleven years old.”
Police react
However, Police sources told Crime Alert that no matter how convincing Mr. Badaru may sound, the matter would have to be thoroughly investigated. Frantic efforts to get the reaction of the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in-charge of SCID, Panti, Aromeh Ataboh, was not successful. But a source close to his office said it was the diligence of the ACP that led to the arrest and subsequent confession of the suspect. The source said, “ You know Oga is a critical and intelligent officer, it was his interrogative prowess that led to the confession of the suspect. Otherwise the suspect was denying ever beating his wife. We are still investigating and interrogating the suspect to corroborate his earlier statement. Again, everything may have to depend on autopsy because from what we gathered so far from the suspect, he said prior to her death, his wife had always complained of stomach problem. But in all, the law will take its course.”
Source : vanguardngr.com
PS : Men, always control your temper. What is the point letting anger to make you loose control over your temper and at the end of the day you loose your freedom by being thrown into the prison over something that should not have degenerated into a fight but settled with a Tate-a-tête. A word is enough for the wise.
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