Two groups, The Women Arise For Change and Campaign For Democracy are
demanding justice for Mrs Titilayo Emiabata after she was arrested by her husband a Naval
officer.
A statement signed by Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin and Deacon Obatungashe Adebayo reads thus:
”The husband to the accused person and nominal complainant in the case
is a Naval officer who is currently serving at Barrack Maintainance
Unit, Port Harcourt by name Lt. Cdr. Kazeem Owolabi Emiabata,
deliberately infected his legally married wife Titilayo with HIV and
threw her out of their matrimonial home after she discovered his
anti-retroviral drugs and medical records, which showed that he had been
on treatment for a long period without disclosing his status to her.
She confronted him and later told her parents about her predicament when she got tested and her result came out positive.
Lt. Cdr. Emiabata had threatened to deal with his now estranged wife if
she exposed his HIV status and has vowed to use the Police and other
means to “kill Titilayo before HIV/AIDS kills him”.
Titilayo is being prosecuted by the husband and the Nigeria Police Force
for alleged “house breaking” and “stealing” because she went to pack
her personal belongings out of their matrimonial home after she was sent
out of their matrimonial home.”
It is on this note that the Women Arise for Change and the Campaign for
Democracy demand that justice should be done in the case.
Rejecting the treatment meted out to Mrs Titilayo Emiabata by her Naval
officer husband, in connivance with the Divisional Police Officer of
Ago-Iwoye in Ogun State, the group commended a Lagos-based human rights
lawyer, Mr. Inibehe Effiong who is representing Titilayo in the case for
his determination to defend her pro bono and bring her husband to book.
The groups also saluted the courage of Mrs. Titilayo who has decided to
speak out publicly about her travails and status for the sake of other
vulnerable members of the society, particularly oppressed women.
The groups therefore call on gender rights advocates, human rights
activists and the media to show solidarity with Mrs. Titilayo in court
believing that Injury to one, is injury to all.