Pregnant woman murdered over N2m loan

dimeji akinloye

July 15, 2016 5:54 AM

The deceased actually paid back the N2 million five months after it was borrowed, but Oriekun demanded N400,000 as interest for five months, her brother said.

Nigerian Police

A pregnant woman in Gbagi Market, Ibadan, Oyo State, identified as

Oduola, who was three months pregnant, was a textile trader and had asked one Oriekun for the loan, which she used in purchasing textile materials, Punch reports.

Recounting what led to the killing of his sister, Abdulahi Asimolowo, said the deceased actually paid back the N2 million five months after it was borrowed, but Oriekun demanded N400,000 as interest for five months - which his sister refused initially.

He said: “It is a common practice among traders at Gbagi Market to assist one another with money to buy goods. No interest is usually charged. This was what happened between my sister and Oriekun.

“Oriekun assisted my sister with the sum of N2m, which was refunded after five months. She, however, insisted that she would collect interest on the money for another five months. She said she would collect N400,000 per month. She also threatened the deceased to consider herself a walking corpse if she refused to pay the interest.”

Asimolowo said when his sister could no longer tolerate Oriekun's harassment, she agreed to pay the interest.

“She actually paid some of the interest, but when she could no longer continue, she told Oriekun that she was tired of paying because she could no longer afford it,” he added.

According to him, on May 19, 2016, Oriekun allegedly sent some thugs to beat up the deceased for failing to pay the money.

READ: Drug addict who stabbed pregnant woman to death in Kogi arrested

“The thugs beat her up and left her when she collapsed. She lost her pregnancy as a result of the attack and she was rushed to the hospital.

“She was taken to a private hospital at Olodo area, and later transferred to the Police Hospital at Eleyele. From there, she was transferred to the University College Hospital where she died on July 9, 2016.”

Confirming the incident, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, said investigation is ongoing, with Oriekun in custody.

dimeji akinloye