The bereaved family, in the statement released on Monday, October 17, revealed that Bimbo died on Saturday, October 15, 2022, after suffering fatal burns in a fire incident at her home in Lagos.
The family described the deceased as a committed wife and mother, who put the desire that her children be raised by both parents before her own peace of mind, happiness, and well-being.
The family stated that several times during the course of Bimbo’s troubled marriage to IVD, they intervened in a bid to rescue her from “the terrible situation that ultimately has now taken her life.”
Confirming that Bimbo’s husband, IVD, is on the run, they appealed to Nigerians to join them in demanding that justice be served.
The family also created an Instagram page in her honour.
The statement reads,
As you may be aware, on Saturday 15th October 2022, Abimbola Martins passed away after suffering fatal burns in a fire incident at her Lagos home. It has been a heartbreaking period for her parents, siblings and particularly, her children. It is a tragedy that nobody should go through, especially in the painful manner her life was cut short and at the hands of a husband she dedicated her life to.
We are appreciative of the comments of millions of Nigerians who have expressed thoughts and prayers, as well as anger that a beautiful life was brought to an end through well-documented domestic violence. Several times during the course of their marriage, we intervened in a bid to rescue her from a terrible situation that ultimately has now taken her life. Abimbola was a loving individual and a committed wife and mother, who put the desire that her children were raised by two parents before her own peace of mind, happiness and well-being.
The perpetrator of this dastardly act, her husband of 16 years, Ikenna Darryl Ogbonna, an auto dealer widely known as IVD, is currently on the run, hoping to evade justice. We know that it won’t be forever.
As the family tries to come to terms with this terrible loss, we want to appeal to members of the public to join us in demanding that justice is done. We are currently working with law enforcement to ensure that Ikenna Darryl Ogbonna is found and made to answer for his crime.
Finally, we would like to also appeal to the public to join us in praying for the repose of her soul and her five young children who have lost their mother in a most tragic manner. It is a pain that no child should have to go through.
#JUSTICEFORABIMBOLA
