JENNIFER AKUDIHOR, NIGERIAN MOTHER OF TWO CAUGHT STEALING IN THE USA.

Icheoku says as if Nigerians do not have enough bad rap already in the United States of America, this mother of two from Governor Adams Oshiomhole's Edo State, on holidays in Kansas State, was caught red-handed with shoplifted merchandise valued at over $2000. A class C felony which will most likely see her holidays automatically extended with an extended stay in the big house upon conviction.  Jennifer Akudihor was caught on camera stealing merchandise inside a Macy's store in Overland Park Kansas, which she "cleverly" stashed inside her baby's stroller and was about making it out of the store when security accosted her. The police were called, she was arrested and booked in jail awaiting bail hearing and subsequent prosecution for her crime. 

Icheoku queries whether this woman is a fit mother and also whether she should actually be visiting on holidays to the United States of America when she can hardly afford such a luxury pastime. When she was caught, there was not a single dime or penny found on her person or purse and you wonder if she indeed have any business going on holidays in the first place. Hopefully her husband will divorce her in order to save his face from such a thieving wife except she is a kleptomaniac crying for urgent help? It is possible too that she was just an errand dutiful wife for an equally criminally minded and disposed husband, who is inchoot and acted in concert with her or egged her on or possibly forced her hands. But whatever be her story since "everybody has a story", whatever motivated her stands irrelevant as not having money to pay for merchandise has never been an excuse to steal. 

Icheoku says Jennifer Akudihor  should have known better and shouldn't have brought herself to this baseness. Now she has to be processed through the straight-jacketed path that is American justice system that admits of no emotiveness. She did the crime and therefore has to do the time. Her being "very apologetic and remorseful", admitted may serve as persuasive ground for the judge to show some mercy, but it does not excuse what she did. Icheoku says irrespective of her reason for being a criminal, although presumed innocent until proven guilty despite her being caught red-handed on video and her voluntary admission to the crime, this certainly is not the way to go about acquiring what she does not have or as a means of meeting her "needs?" Sixty six items cannot be simply said to be a need as they are rather too many to be so subsumed. Were it one diaper or a baby food, may be; but sixty six items some of which might be some luxury items of clothing, goes beyond pale and she should therefore squarely deal with the legal problem which she just created for herself. What another stain on Nigerians already battered image of a country of 419 dupes and con-men, corruption-infested, Boko Haram and now holidaying shoplifters. What a shameful thing this shameless woman of Edo State have done to an overly ashamed Nigeria community in the United States.