I’m innocent, says husband

A Director at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Olalekan Onikoyi, has been accused of ordering his househelp to unleash dogs on his wife, Mrs. Emily Onikoyi at their home in Fadeyi Street, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos.

It was learnt that the couple has been having unending marital issues for years and that the man recently served his wife a divorce letter.

In disturbing pictures, the woman was seen with injuries and being attended to at the hospital.

Narrating what happened, the son of Mrs. Onikoyi, Enajero Darlington Eguriase, said: “They have about six dogs in their compound, the dogs are under the custody of one boy named Clifford. The boy is like an errand boy in the compound, and is neither related to the man, nor to my mother.

“Both husband and wife have crises in their marriage, and there have been cases of domestic violence. The man has served my mother a divorce letter, and the court has invited him several times, but he refused to appear. They have not been living as husband and wife.

“My mother had gone for prayer in the morning, so immediately she entered the compound, upon hearing her voice, Clifford released the dogs on her. There’s a video where the dogs are attacking her.

When contacted Onikoyi on phone on the matter, he said: “I work for the Federal Government. Public servants don’t talk anyhow. I work for the Federal Government. The person who gave you my number is aware, everybody is aware, even in Abuja. I will not want to talk. I have given the person that contacted you my lawyer’s number, if he is interested. I know that as a journalist, you people like to be objective. This case is before the police; they are carrying out a detailed investigation. If I send the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) to you, you will abuse the person who gave you my number, but as a public servant, I will not talk to everybody.”

But, the accused in a text message to a relative of the wife said: “ I have known my wife since 1998 and nothing like this ever happened. Why now? What for?

“The dogs have been with us in the house for over two years. It was a mistake that happened at home and I took her to the hospital immediately for treatment before she was forcefully removed from the hospital by her family from Delta State.”

Also, counsel to the husband, Oyedotun Olajide, who spoke, said: “If there is any information you want, you can come to my office and we will talk about it.”

It was learnt the matter was reported at lgbogbo Police Station, lkorodu, Lagos.

When reached out to spokesperson for Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, on the matter, he said he was yet to be briefed on the case. (The Guardian: Text, excluding headline)

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