Policeman kills wife, self in Lagos

A policeman has allegedly shot himself after killing his wife for filing a divorce against him.

The policeman, simply identified as Edward and attached to the Highway Patrol, was living with his wife, an inspector with the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) inside the prison barracks at Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

It was gathered that the tragedy occurred on Sunday night during a scuffle between the couple. A neighbour who spoke on the condition of anonymity said there was a previous quarrel between the couple in their flat, which snowballed into a fight. 

The man was said to be angry when his wife who was harbouring her husband in the barracks asked him to leave the apartment. Our source said the woman did not stop at verbal threats, as she followed it with divorce papers.

The police were said to have evacuated their bodies just as most occupants of the building have fled the compound for fear of possible arrest.

NCoS officials and plain-cloth policemen were seen loitering the vicinity just as traders at the barrack market discussed the issue in hush tones.

The Guardian overheard some of the traders discussing that the incident happened upstairs. They claimed those close to the apartment said they overheard the woman screaming: “why do you want to kill me? Those close to the woman said she had told the man she was not interested in the marriage again,” they said.

Police spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP) confirmed the incident, adding that investigation was ongoing.

It was gathered that the policeman was allegedly drunk at the time he pulled the trigger at close range. It was further gathered that the couple were in the habit of quarrelling and their situation worsened after the woman opted out of the union.

Her threat, it was learnt was borne out of the man’s alleged mistrust and possessive nature.

In the heat of the disagreement, the policemen cocked his gun and fired at his wife. He was said to have thereafter shot himself in the head.