Mother of nine arrested for murdering stolen plantain owner in Rivers

A 32- year-old pregnant mother of nine children, Esther  Godday, has been arrested by the police in Rivers State for killing a housewife, Mrs Imeran Idema, over a bunch plantains.

The suspect had reportedly, on the 28 of January, 2024 gone to the plantation of the deceased woman’s family to steal a bunch of plantains when she was caught and a fight ensued between her and the deceased.

Esther, in a confession to policemen at the homicide section  of the Rivers State police command Criminal Investigations Department, said: “She cut me and I cut her.”

The suspect, however, claimed that she resorted to stealing the plantains when her husband could not take care of his large family.

The state Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, stated that people need to think carefully before making life choices.

He also charged heads of households to procreate within their means and to lead responsible lives.

Esther got traditionally married to her husband, Godday, in 2010, and together, they had nine children, with the tenth expected as she was eight months pregnant at the time she was taken into custody by the police.

It was gathered that the husband had been unemployed for several years and hardly spent time at home, preferring to leave the house in the morning and return late at night.

This left the responsibility of sustaining the home to Esther, who told the police that none of his nine children was in school .

A police sources told Saturday Tribune that “On Wednesday, January 28, 2024, Esther Godday, had in her customary way, left her nine kids at home and gone into town in their little village of Agada in Abua to look  for anything that could serve as food.”

Agada residents are primarily farmers, and the village has plantations littered around it, run by family groups.

The police source added that “Esther discreetly entered one of the plantain plantations and quickly harvested a bunch of plantains and made to make away with it.

“As she attempted to sneak past one of the exit points of the plantation, she was sighted by the family member on duty at the plantation, Mrs. Imeran Idema.

Imeran with a  machete in her hand, immediately accosted her and asked her to surrender the bunch.

“An altercation ensued, which led to Imeran landing a blow on Easter’s right foot, giving her a deep cut . Esther dropped the bunch and launched a  counter attack with her own machete. She hit out with the machete, giving two significant cuts on Imeran’s head and shoulder. As Imeran collapsed in pain, Esther quickly left the scene, abandoning the bunch of plantains and fled.

“The police arrested Esther and, after questioning her, released her to receive medical attention for the cut on her foot.

She was rearrested two days later, and when she got to the police station, she got the information that Imeran had died.”