Murtala Sogbade, brother of Ganiyat, a mother of three allegedly killed by her husband, Ayoola Ayanwale, has accused the man of being habitually violent and irresponsible, claiming he was known mainly for drug use and abandoning his family obligations.
The tragic incident reportedly took place on Thursday night along Olutayo Alao Street in River Valley Estate, within the Ojodu Berger area of Ogun State.
Ganiyat sustained severe injuries during the attack and was rushed to Gifted Hospital in Olowora, where doctors confirmed she was already dead on arrival.
Sources disclosed that Ayanwale allegedly stabbed his wife multiple times during a domestic disagreement before ingesting a substance believed to be poisonous in an apparent attempt to end his own life.
Police later reported another development in the Sotubo area, where the suspect was discovered on Friday struggling to breathe in an open field. A search operation had been launched earlier, and his body was eventually found in the same area.
According to Sunday PUNCH, three knives were recovered in connection with the incident. Items found on Ayanwale included a bottle containing a suspected liquid substance, two mobile phones, his voter’s card and an ATM card, which linked him directly to the crime.
Speaking via phone and WhatsApp on Saturday, Sogbade said the marriage had been troubled for years, marked by repeated episodes of violence.
“She was my direct sibling. They had been married for 14 years and constantly had issues. At first, we thought it was normal marital disagreement, but it later escalated into physical abuse. He beat her regularly,” he said.
He explained that both families had intervened several times to restore peace. However, late last year, Ayanwale reportedly expressed his intention to end the marriage and requested a divorce.
“We advised him to follow the proper legal process since the marriage was formal,” Sogbade added.
According to him, Ayanwale also informed his father, who relayed the decision to the deceased. Ganiyat reportedly told her father-in-law that she, too, wanted the marriage to end but did not want to be perceived as the one who initiated the separation.
Sogbade further alleged that the husband’s relatives, who live abroad, offered N700,000 to assist Ganiyat in securing accommodation for herself and the children.
“That amount cannot realistically cover rent for a woman with three children in Lagos. Since he demanded the divorce, he should have taken responsibility for their welfare,” he said.
He noted that the family had continued searching for suitable housing, inspecting an apartment on January 1 and rejecting it due to poor conditions. Tragically, before alternative arrangements could be made, the woman’s 13-year-old child reportedly alerted relatives that their father had killed their mother.
When asked about the cause of the final argument, Sogbade said it stemmed from jealousy and long-standing resentment, adding that Ayanwale had failed to provide financial support for the household.
A neighbour, identified on X as @Irebamiolakanmi, also described the killing as the culmination of years of domestic abuse. She said the suspect was rarely present at home and showed little concern for the children’s welfare.
“She once told me she felt at peace whenever he was away,” the neighbour wrote, adding that she had advised the woman to leave the marriage but was reluctant because of her children.
Confirming the incident, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, while both bodies were deposited at the mortuary.
The killing adds to the rising cases of femicide in Ogun State. In 2022, PUNCH Metro reported the arrest of a man accused of beating his wife to death during a domestic dispute.
