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The trial of Udeme Otike-Odibi, a former Lagos banker and lawyer convicted of killing and mutilating her husband, Symphorosa Otike-Odibi, remains one of the most disturbing murder cases to come before the Lagos State High Court.

Otike-Odibi was convicted in 2023 of murdering her husband and mutilating his corpse. The court subsequently sentenced her to death by hanging for the murder and imposed a five-year prison term for misconduct involving a corpse.

The case dates back to May 3, 2018, when Symphorosa was found dead at the couple’s home in Diamond Estate, Ajah, Lagos, following a violent domestic confrontation.

The night of the murder

The prosecution’s case was that a disagreement between the couple, reportedly linked to allegations of infidelity and marital problems, escalated into violence.

According to evidence presented in court, Otike-Odibi first struck her husband with a frying pan before stabbing him in the abdomen with a kitchen knife.

The prosecution maintained that the attack was not a spontaneous crime of passion but a deliberate act.

Shortly after midnight on May 3, Otike-Odibi reportedly sent a troubling text message to her friend, Maureen Offor. The message raised concerns about her state of mind, prompting her friend to respond and remind her of plans they had discussed, including travelling to the United Kingdom and prioritising her health.

By about 2am, Symphorosa’s sister, Dr Anwuli Akwukwuma, became concerned after being unable to reach him. She contacted a neighbour, Stanley Grange-Koko, to check on the couple.

When family members and neighbours eventually gained access to the residence, Symphorosa was found dead on the marital bed.

The prosecution told the court that his abdomen had been cut open and his genitals severed and placed in his hand.

Medical evidence

The prosecution relied heavily on forensic and medical evidence to establish how Symphorosa died.

Pathologist Dr John Soyemi testified that the deceased suffered massive internal blood loss estimated at about 3.5 litres. According to his evidence, the fatal injuries were caused by damage to blood vessels in the mesentery, the tissue supporting the intestines, after a deep knife wound to the abdomen.

The defence also argued that Otike-Odibi had attempted to take her own life after killing her husband.

However, Dr Booyemi Oyeneyin, who treated her at Safeway Hospital on the morning of the incident, testified that the six wounds found on her abdomen were superficial.

The doctor said the injuries did not penetrate her internal organs and were consistent with what he described as hesitation-type wounds.

The prosecution used the medical evidence to challenge the claim that Otike-Odibi had been involved in a mutual attack or had genuinely attempted suicide.

Defence challenges confession

Otike-Odibi’s defence team, led by Oluseye Banjoko, challenged the admissibility of statements she made to detectives at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti.

The defence argued that the statements should be rejected because they were not video-recorded and were not made in the presence of a lawyer, citing provisions of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law and the 1999 Constitution.

The prosecution countered that the statements were voluntary and that their admissibility should be determined under the applicable provisions of the Evidence Act.

In a ruling delivered on April 11, 2019, Justice Adedayo Akintoye rejected the defence’s objection and admitted the statements as evidence.

The court held that the absence of a video recording or legal representation did not automatically render a voluntary statement inadmissible.

Mental-health argument rejected

The defence also sought to establish that Otike-Odibi was not in a sound mental state when the incident occurred.

But the prosecution’s forensic evidence, witness testimony and circumstances surrounding the killing were relied upon to establish that she understood her actions.

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Former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Musa Daura, has declared that President Bola Tinubu is beatable in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that he knows the President personally and understands his political strengths and weaknesses.

Daura, who is the vice-presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), made the remarks on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Asked whether Tinubu could be defeated at the polls, Daura responded, “Very well,” arguing that the administration had made several mistakes that could work against the President in the 2027 election.

The former intelligence chief also dismissed the perception that Tinubu was unfamiliar to him, saying their relationship extends beyond politics.

“President Bola Tinubu is not a stranger to me. Even though he is the President of the nation, he’s the leader, the Commander-in-Chief; in another class, we’re friends. We know ourselves very well,” he said.

Daura, however, cautioned that some claims and actions attributed to Tinubu did not necessarily reflect the President’s true position.

“There are lots of things being ascribed to him which he’s not,” he added.

‘I Took Bullets for Buhari’

Reflecting on his years in government, Daura said he still misses former President Muhammadu Buhari, under whom he served as DSS Director-General.

“I do miss Muhammadu Buhari. I took bullets for him,” he said, recalling the risks he faced while serving the former President.

Daura also criticised individuals he described as sycophants who surrounded Buhari, accusing them of betraying the former President’s trust and exploiting his administration.

“There were so many sycophants around Buhari; they betrayed the trust he gave them and took advantage of that government,” he said.

Why Makinde-Daura Ticket

Defending his partnership with Oyo State Governor and APM presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, Daura said the duo shared a common vision and understanding of the country’s challenges.

“We are a pair that seems to really understand each other; we share the same passion for this country,” he said.

Daura added that the ticket’s central message was to “reset” the country and chart a new direction for Nigeria.

His comments came shortly after the unveiling of Makinde’s presidential campaign office in Abuja.

The event was attended by several political figures, including former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi.

Obi described Makinde as qualified to serve as President and urged Nigerians to freely choose their preferred candidate in the 2027 election.

He also called on political leaders to work together in the national interest, regardless of who eventually emerges victorious at the polls.

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A crocodile handler has died after being attacked by a crocodile while working inside an enclosure at a wildlife park in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

The worker, whose identity has not been released, was attacked at Adventure Park on Saturday, September 5, while reportedly attempting to feed a crocodile.

He was rushed to 3 Mile General Hospital for treatment but succumbed to his injuries at about 7am on Sunday, September 6.

Footage of the horrifying incident circulated on social media, showing the injured worker clinging to the edge of a pool as bystanders desperately tried to assist him.

The crocodile appeared to have its jaws locked around the man’s legs while a person outside the enclosure used a pole in an attempt to help free him. Another individual was also seen supporting the victim as onlookers gathered around the enclosure.

An eyewitness, Gibson John, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the attack occurred as the handler approached the crocodile with a chicken.

“He brought the chicken to the fence and the crocodile attacked the person and tried to bring him into the pool,” John said.

He said he contacted St John Ambulance after witnessing the attack but claimed the crocodile kept hold of the man’s legs for more than an hour before emergency responders arrived.

According to John, security guards at the park did not have firearms and instead gave the victim a small iron rod to use while they waited for the police and ambulance crew.

“He was in severe pain but he couldn’t scream,” John said, describing the victim’s condition during the ordeal.

“The only thing I could hear him say was, ‘I haven’t done anything wrong.’”

John said he later learned that the victim had lost a leg before he was taken to hospital.

The deceased worker was reportedly from the Western Islands in northern Papua New Guinea and had worked at the wildlife park for about two years.

Following the tragedy, Adventure Park has been closed indefinitely, while colleagues who witnessed the attack are reportedly mourning the handler at a funeral home.

Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fatal attack.