A dispute in Lagos has led to the detention of Charles Chiawa at the Ejigbo Police Station after his wife, Uche Chiawa, allegedly used her connections to detain him over his reported decision to take a second wife. The couple, married for 20 years, has been in the spotlight due to an ongoing family conflict that has now spilled over into the realm of law enforcement.
Charles and Uche Chiawa have been married for two decades, with their union initially conducted under traditional customs. However, their relationship has reportedly faced difficulties after Charles fathered a child with another woman eight years ago. This incident, sources say, marked the beginning of growing tensions between the couple.
Recently, trouble escalated when Charles allegedly took a second wife, a move his first wife, Uche, did not approve of. Uche maintains that their marriage was not only conducted traditionally but was also legally registered in court, thereby giving her the right to take action against her husband.
According to SaharaReporters,Uche Chiawa reportedly used her influence to have Charles detained at the Ejigbo Police Station on the grounds that he had married another woman. While Charles asserts that he is within his rights to take a second wife under traditional marriage customs, his wife contends that their court marriage gives her the legal authority to act.
“I also did court, not only traditional marriage. I used the police to arrest him because he always beats me,” Uche explained in an interview. She claimed that Charles’ abusive behaviour was a primary reason for her resorting to legal action.
A source familiar with the situation described the incident as a clear case of police power being abused, allegedly facilitated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Ejigbo Police Station, CSP Patience Osuagwu. According to the source, Uche’s influence led to the detention of her husband, despite the fact that the charges appeared to be rooted in personal and family matters, rather than criminal activity.
“Charles was detained at Ejigbo police station by his first wife on the allegation that he married another wife,” the source told SaharaReporter. “I was told the first wife has connections with the DPO, and she wants her husband to suffer inside the cell.”
Efforts to secure Charles’ release from police custody were reportedly met with resistance. The second wife, who had gone to the station to post bail for her husband, faced significant difficulty in securing his release. The source continued: “I reached out to the DPO, who said she would transfer the case to the gender department. I told her the man should be granted bail since it is a bailable offense. She agreed but made it clear that she would not release him until the first wife permitted it.”
Despite the fact that bail was initially agreed upon, the first wife insisted that Charles remain in detention, blocking all attempts to secure his release. According to the source, the second wife’s attempts to bail Charles were thwarted when she was sent away by police officers without any assistance.
The second wife of Charles Chiawa corroborated the claims of an abuse of power and frustration at the station. She recounted the events leading to his arrest and the subsequent attempts to secure his release.
“My husband was arrested around 2 pm yesterday (Thursday) when he went to visit the first wife and called me,” she told SaharaReporters. “I went to the police station to bail him, but the first wife kept saying they should not release him. She wanted him to suffer inside the cell.”
The second wife, who has now been waiting for almost 24 hours, expressed her disbelief at how family matters were being treated by the police. “This is almost 24 hours now after his arrest by the police for what appeared to be family matters, and they are not willing to allow us to bail him,” she said.
Despite the claims from Uche that Charles had been abusive towards her, the second wife denied any mention of physical abuse at the police station. “She did not raise any issue of beating at the station. She just brought it up when you called her,” the second wife added, suggesting that the claims of abuse were made in an attempt to justify the arrest.
When contacted for comment, CSP Patience Osuagwu, the Divisional Police Officer of the Ejigbo Police Station, was dismissive and uncooperative. “If that is the story they told you that led to his arrest, if you like, you can believe it, but I will not explain what happened to you on the phone unless you come to our station,” she said curtly.
When it was suggested that visiting the station may not be feasible, Osuagwu responded bluntly: “Then I am too busy to tell you what happened.”
This case raises questions about the role of law enforcement in personal disputes, particularly when there is an alleged abuse of power by those in positions of authority. The alleged connections between Uche and the police, as well as the DPO’s refusal to release Charles despite it being a bailable offense, suggest a troubling misuse of the police force to settle a domestic dispute.
It also highlights the challenges faced by individuals who find themselves caught in family conflicts that escalate to the point of legal involvement. For many, navigating the legal system and law enforcement can be a daunting and frustrating process, especially when personal relationships influence decision-making within the police force.
