Operatives from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), alongside officials from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Women Affairs Secretariat led by Mandate Secretary Mrs. Adedayo Benjamin-Laniyi, have arrested a middle-aged man seen in a viral video violently assaulting his 25-year-old wife.
The arrest took place at the bustling GSM Market in Wuse, Abuja, according to a statement released by the agency on Monday, May 19. The victim, Theola Joseph, was also rescued from their self-contained apartment in Wumba Community, Apo area of Abuja.
The disturbing footage shows the man pinning his wife’s neck down and repeatedly beating her with a table tennis bat while their children can be heard crying out and begging him not to harm their mother.
Human rights activist Harrison Gwamnishu revealed that this was not the first time the man had allegedly tried to kill his wife.
Despite multiple reports made by the woman to the police, she was reportedly turned away with officers dismissing the case as a ‘family matter’ and advising them to settle privately.
NAPTIP Director General, Binta Adamu Bello, OON, condemned the man’s actions and assured the public that the case will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act 2015.
