Anambra State Women and Social Welfare Commissioner, Hon Ify Obinabo has expressed worry over cases of maltreatment of widows particularly from late husband’s family.
She called on family members to always give widows breathing space to mourn their loved ones instead of creating more problems for them.
Obinabo spoke while reacting to case of two women arrested for forcefully taking the underage children of their late brother’s wife, Mrs Sharon Nwosu in Ndiowu, Orumba North local government area of the state.
The suspects, identified as Felicia Nwosu
and Chinenye Nwosu, mother in law and sister in law to the widow were arrested following complaint by the widow to the Ministry of Women Affairs.
They were later brought to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Awka where they were served letter mandating them to appear before the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare on Tuesday with all the parties involved in the case for further investigation
Narrating her ordeal in tears, the widow, a native of Enumbom Ndiowu, said her two children were taken away from here by the in-laws after her husband’s demise, accusing her of killing her husband.
She said, “The problem started after I refused to handover my late husband’s laptop and phone to Ifeanyi Nwosu, younger brother to my late husband who demanded to take possession of the items.
“The request came to me as a shock because it came few days after my husband died.
“My in laws asked me to handover the laptop so that the younger brother will to take over the contract my late husband who was an architect just secured and warned me not to tell anyone.”
According to the widow, while battling with the shock of her husband’s demise, she was informed her mother also died same day she lost her husband.
“My condition grew worse when they consistently told my kids that I was responsible for their father’s death.
“They also broke into my room after my husband’s funeral and made away with all the money sympathizers gave me,” she alleged.
The commissioner, while assisting the widow clean her tears, assured her of getting her children back from the in-laws.
“Family members should always give widows breathing space to mourn their loved ones instead of creating more problems for them,” she stressed.
