A lawyer, identified as Ekere Sunday Ebong, has been arrested by men of the Akwa Ibom Police Command after he was caught assaulting his wife, News About Nigeria reports.
The state police public relations officer, SP Odiko MacDon, who confirmed this in a statement on Monday, noted that the directive to arrest the lawyer was given by the state commissioner of police, Olatoye Durosinmi.
Recall that in a video that went viral on social media a few days ago, the lawyer was seen beating his wife, who was half naked at night, amid pleas from neighbours to let her go.
Ebong had repeatedly hit his wife while demanding keys, ignoring her pleas.
Help, however, came for the blood-stained woman when neighbours gave her a wrapper while her husband locked her out of their house.
One of the neighbours, who was heard asking the man why he beat his wife every night, asked the woman to stay in his house.
However, in the statement released by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, the PPRO confirmed that the suspect is a known habitual perpetrator of violent acts against his wife over the years, adding that the physical abuse, which included the assault and dehumanising of his wife, this time, led to various grievous injuries.
Part of the statement reads, “As an agency saddled with the protection of lives and property and the maintenance of law and order, we cannot allow Barrister Ebong to continue this flagrant abuse of human rights.”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Akwa Ibom State Chapter, has condemned the assault on Mrs. Kufre Ebong.
The group said it was unfortunate and disappointing that the incident happened a few days after the advocacy on gender-based violence.
A press release signed by NAWOJ Chairperson Nsikak Okon, and the secretary, Patience John described Ekere Ebong as a disappointment to his profession and family while calling for his prosecution.
