People of Ukwonyo community in the Ufia Kingdom of Ado Local Government Area in Benue State have raised concerns over going attacks and harassment faced by women at the hands of armed invaders in their farmlands.
Community members expressed worry, yesterday, saying that the persistent threat has created fear among residents, making it increasingly difficult to continue with their daily farming activities.
National Publicity Secretary of Ufia Development Association (UDA), Comrade Jude Onwe, told journalists in Makurdi, that going to farm or going to fetch water and firewood has now become a problem in the area, urging the federal and state governments to intervene.
Onwe said their women could no longer go to their farms without been accompanied by the menfolk because the bandits are on prowl in the vicinity, attacking and assaulting females.
He said, “We are all afraid and that is why farming in our area has reduced. Once these armed invaders sight the women in the farm, they pounce on them, rape and molest them.”
The UDA scribe recounted the case of a 42-year-old woman, Mrs. Catherine Ajogi, and four others who narrowly escaped from the hands of the outlaws at Ogbuga farm settlement where they went to fetch firewood and harvest snails around the Okonoji River.
He explained that just two days ago, Mrs Ajogi was ambushed by the armed invaders and captured to be raped after the other four people in her company successfully escaped, adding that in the process of struggling with them, she was badly machete on her head.
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He further narrated that the woman struggled with her captors and was later abandoned with the head injury inflicted on her by the armed invaders who realised that those who escaped would have raised an alarm to attract their men for Ajogi rescue.
“She suffered acute loss of blood as a result,” he added.
Onwe further explained that the attention of the chairman of Ado Local Government Council, Engr. Sunday Oche, was immediately drawn to the situation, where he directed that the victim be taken to the community health center at Ukwonyo ward in Utonkon district of Ado LGA.
He said the chairman later came to the hospital at the instance of the councilor representing Ukwonyo ward and that the attention of the Ado LGA Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Cosmos Tsa, was equally drawn to the incident.
The council chairman, while in the hospital, condemned the incident, describing it as barbaric and uncalled for but thanked Ufia people for not taking the law into their hands.
Oche, who thanked God that the victim was responding to treatment, said that the council would offset all the medical bills just as he assured that he would report the matter to the appropriate authority to ensure that those involved are brought to book.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Benue Command, SP Catherine Anene, had yet to respond on the incident at the time of filing this report as calls and text message put through her phone were not responded to.
