Family members, friends and colleagues are still confused over the death of Lt. Samson Haruna allegedly masterminded by his wife barely five months after they got married. The widow’s claim of innocence has introduced a twist to the saga, KOLADE ADEYEMI reports.
HE word out there is that 31-year-old Lt. Samson Haruna died in the hospital about two weeks after he suffered severe burns from a fire incident allegedly triggered by his wife, Retyit, in their matrimonial home at Wellington Bassey Barracks, Ibagwa in Abak Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State on September 22.
But confusion has crept into the matter over Retyit’s insistence that the fire incident that consumed her husband five months after marriage was a pure domestic accident.
Close and distant relations, friends and associates are now trying to unravel the mystery behind the matrimonial tragedy which occurred only five months after the couple said “I do” to each other.
While a version of the incident claimed that it was Retyit that poured petrol on her unsuspecting husband and set fire on him after a disagreement had occurred between them, Retyit insisted that the fire incident occurred when Haruna, a medical doctor attached to the medical corps of the Nigerian Army, accidentally hit a petrol jerry in their store and poured its content.
According to her, the young soldier had even jokingly threatened to spray her with petrol and went into the house to pick a lighter, warning her to end an existing quarrel between them.
She said unfortunately, Haruna slipped and fell, while a spark from the lighter in his hand caused the petrol to explode into an instant fire that engulfed him.
She said she immediately raised the alarm and tried to help her husband to quench the fire but it was all to no avail.
She said before help could come from neighbours, the young army officer had sustained severe burns.
He was immediately rushed to the Military Reference Section (MRS) in the barracks where he was stabilised and later referred to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital for further management.
Unfortunately, he died 15 days later.
In a post on her Facebook account, Retyit’s elder sister, Nandyel Dalong, also exonerated her, saying she did not kill her husband as was being rumoured.
To support her claims, Nandyel shared an audio recording where a voice, supposedly that of Retyit, vehemently denied being the culprit.
In the five minutes, 41 seconds audio clip, the voice, responding to questions from other voices in the background, claimed that Retyit had been a victim of domestic violence as her late husband was in the habit of beating her.
She also claimed that an elder brother of her husband had also been maltreating and frustrating her.
She said on several occasions, her late husband threatened to set her ablaze if her parents would not come and take her away.
The soft and sober voice added: “On the day the incident happened, that was the 22nd of September, he came and dropped me off from work.
“His elder brother asked him to pack my things from the room. He had been frustrating me.
“Whenever he frustrated me, I would leave the room. So he bought a new mattress and took it to the store.
“The store had fuel and other things. So while he was packing, he accidentally hit the fuel. When he hit the fuel, the fuel poured in the house.
“So he has been beating me. He has beaten me on so many occasions. He even beat me to the extent the I had a miscarriage.
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“He has injured me several times but I had to hide the scars. He had been threatening to kill me, to set me ablaze if my parents didn’t come to carry me.
“So when he hit the fuel and it poured, he picked a lighter and said ‘I’m going to set you ablaze’.
“I thought he was playing. He also thought the lighter was not working.
“I even called the commandant. I told the CO that this man was going to set us ablaze. I called him three times before he picked.
“You can check my phone to see that I really called the CO. I said to the CO ‘this man is going to set us ablaze’.
“He thought I was joking. He just ended the call and did not answer me again.
“As he pressed the lighter, the net at the place caught fire.
“I was even threatening that I was going to record it and put the video live on Tiktok.
“I don’t know why I did not record it and put it live on Tiktok.
“They deprived me of the opportunity to tell my own side of the story.
“I was even telling them to come and see the house to know if what they are saying is achievable, but they refused to listen to me.
“They locked me up without hearing from me. I had no access to anyone because they locked me up without my phone.
“They refused to allow people to come to the house.
“I told them that I am not a military personnel but a civilian and they should hand the case over to the police to do their investigations, but they refused.”
Further expressing concern over her detention by the army, Retyit said: “They were protecting the Army’s name. They locked me up in the guardroom for 12 or 13 days.
“It was when they saw that I was almost giving up the ghost that they removed me from the guard room and took me to the RMS.
“People are saying I killed him. I am not guilty. I was not the one that killed him. Why are they still keeping me here?
“They said they would keep me till they finished their investigation. They have finished their investigation and they are still keeping me here.
“Even my husband told you people I did not do anything wrong. It is just his brother who has been fighting with him.
“Even my husband knew I did not do anything wrong. He knew I did not do anything wrong.
“I was keeping quiet so that his job would not be at stake.
“Before he died, he used to send me messages. He kept sending people to ask how I was doing.
“I knew that was his way of telling me to calm down; that everything will be fine.
“They should treat me as a civilian. They have been punishing me for no reason.”
Meanwhile, the 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Akwa Ibom State, said it had commenced investigations into the “brutal killing” of its officer, Lt. (Dr) Samson Haruna, the Regimental Medical Officer of 6 Battalion, who was allegedly set ablaze by his wife, Retyit Samson Haruna, a certified nurse.
The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Captain Lawal Muhammad, who disclosed this in a statement in Uyo, said the Army, while condemning the gruesome murder of the officer, called for calm as investigation was underway.
Captain Muhammed stated that the late Lt. Haruna succumbed to severe burns inflicted in a domestic incident with the wife at their residence at Wellington Bassey Barracks, Ibagwa, Akwa Ibom State, on September 22, 2025.
The statement said preliminary investigations revealed that the tragic incident occurred after a heated argument between the couple, reportedly stemming from a family crisis, which escalated when Mrs Haruna allegedly set ablaze some property in the house, and Haruna was caught by the inferno.
The statement further said that Haruna sustained severe burns, but was initially stabilised at the Battalion Medical Facility, and later transferred to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital for further treatment, where he passed away.
The statement said: “The Nigerian Army 2 Brigade is deeply saddened and unequivocally condemns the tragic death of Lieutenant Samson Haruna, the Regimental Medical Officer of 6 Battalion, who succumbed to severe burns inflicted in a domestic incident between his wife, Mrs Retyit Obadiah Dalong Samson Haruna, at their residence in Wellington Bassey Barracks, Ibagwa, Akwa Ibom State, on 22 September 2025.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the tragic incident occurred after a heated argument between the couple, reportedly stemming from family crisis, which escalated when Mrs Haruna allegedly set ablaze properties in the house and the officer was caught by the inferno.
“Doctor Haruna sustained severe burns, but was initially stabilised at the Battalion Medical Facility, and later transferred to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital for further treatment, where he unfortunately passed away early hours of Tuesday 7 October 2025.
“The Nigerian Army strongly condemns this act of domestic violence, recognising the imperative of peaceful coexistence and respect within families.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of Lieutenant Haruna.
“The Nigerian Army will continue to advocate for healthy relationships, addressing domestic violence, and fostering a culture of respect and dialogue within families and communities.
“The Nigerian Army is calling for all parties to remain calm while awaiting outcome of military police investigation.”