Ogun Tragedy: Man Stabs Wife to Death Before Children, Later Takes Own Life

A smiling photograph taken on the first Sunday of the year has now become a painful reminder of a life cut short. Ganiyat Ayanwale posed happily for the camera, unaware that days later, she would be gone.

Ganiyat, a young mother of three, was brutally killed inside her residence at River Valley Estate, Ogun State, in a shocking case of domestic violence that unfolded before her children.
She was repeatedly stabbed inside the family home and lost a massive amount of blood. By the time she was rushed to hospital, her internal organs had sustained severe damage. Doctors at Gifted Hands Hospital pronounced her dead at about 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 8, 2026.
The attack reportedly happened in the presence of her children, who witnessed a level of violence no child should ever experience. Neighbours said that after the first stab wound, one of the children screamed. When a second stab followed, Ganiyat attempted to flee but was dragged back and stabbed again.
Despite her injuries, she managed to stagger toward the gate, bleeding heavily. Alarmed by the screams, neighbours intervened and rushed her to the hospital. Along the way, she reportedly spoke faintly, insisting she had done nothing to deserve the attack.
Her final moments
“I just entered the house,” she was said to have told those assisting her. “He attacked me.”
Medical sources confirmed that stab wounds close to her lungs severely impaired her breathing. She died minutes after arriving at the hospital.
Residents described her husband, Mr. Ayoola Ayanwale, as habitually violent. According to accounts, he allegedly attempted to force his wife to drink a poisonous substance after sending their older child to purchase a locally known pesticide. When she refused, he reportedly locked the younger children in a room, picked up a knife and attacked her repeatedly.
Neighbours further alleged that after the assault, the suspect returned to the apartment to clean bloodstains before fleeing the scene.
Suspected suicide
Less than 12 hours later, Mr. Ayanwale was discovered in an open field at Sotubo, an area of Ogun State, struggling to breathe. He was later confirmed dead in what police believe was suicide.
Items recovered at the location included a bottle containing a suspected liquid substance, two mobile phones, a voter’s card and an ATM card.
Confirming the incident, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the command was aware of the case and would release a detailed statement.
Today, three children are left orphaned, burdened with memories of violence, fear and loss. Neighbours told Vanguard that even in her final moments, Ganiyat asked for water and questioned what crime she had committed to warrant such cruelty.
There was no answer.
This tragedy is more than a crime report; it is another grim reminder of how domestic abuse continues to claim lives across Nigeria. Advocates stress that marriage should never be a death sentence, love should never involve violence, and silence in abusive relationships often leads to fatal outcomes.
Experts warn that abuse rarely stops on its own—it escalates. Too often, it ends in funerals.
As the year begins, yet another woman has been lost. The message remains urgent and clear: staying alive is more important than staying married. There is no honour in suffering, and no shame in choosing safety. (Vanguard)