A disturbing incident has been reported from Isieke, Awo-Omamma in Imo State, where a widow was allegedly locked inside her late husband’s ambulance for over two hours after being accused of causing his death.
According to reports, the woman was also forced to drink the water used to bathe her husband’s corpse before the burial could take place.
Eyewitnesses said community members claimed she was responsible for her husband’s death and decided to “test her innocence” through the cruel act.
The news reportedly drew the ire of Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma who ordered investigation on the incident.
Harmful and dehumanizing practices imposed on widows during burial rites are a widespread issue in various Nigerian cultures. These rituals, which include isolation, property dispossession, and physical ordeals, often serve to oppress women under the guise of tradition. While many modern families and ethnic groups have abandoned the harshest customs, more benign versions still exist.