Elochukwu Benjamin
Awka
The Women’s Aid Collective (WACOL) has called for justice for a 34-year-old mother of six who allegedly survived repeated rape, brutal mob torture and an attempted murder in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The group has described the incident as one of the most horrific cases of gender-based violence recorded in recent times.
The organisation, in a statement on Tuesday, signed by its Senior Communication Officer, Bethel Ezugwu, expressed shock and outrage over the alleged abuse, which it said culminated in the victim being abandoned in a forest to die and later banished by community leaders for reporting the matter to the police.
According to WACOL, the survivor had endured years of domestic violence in the hands of her husband, who allegedly subjected her and her mother to repeated physical assaults.
In an effort to escape the abuse, the victim reportedly rented a separate apartment, but her husband tracked her down and allegedly attacked her again on July 17 before chasing her out of the house.
The rights organisation said the woman fled to her mother’s residence, but her husband allegedly followed her there and threatened to kill her if she remained. Fearing for her life, she reportedly sought temporary refuge with a palm kernel trader who, because he was married, arranged for her to stay in a friend’s house.
WACOL alleged that the arrangement turned tragic when the homeowner and another resident allegedly overpowered the trader, locked him away and raped the woman before alerting her husband to her location.
According to the organisation, the husband arrived with a mob, forcibly entered the house and allegedly raped his wife publicly while others restrained the trader who had attempted to protect her.
The statement further alleged that the husband stole the woman’s money and used part of it to buy drinks for members of the community, who then joined in assaulting both victims.
“The mob stripped them naked, spat on them, beat them mercilessly and inflicted severe injuries on their bodies. Some women allegedly used broken bottles to shave the survivor’s hair, while others attacked both victims with cutlasses,” WACOL said.
The organisation further claimed that the attackers dragged the badly injured woman into a forest and abandoned her there, believing she was dead.
According to WACOL, the survivor remained in the forest for three days before managing to crawl to a nearby road, where Good Samaritans found her, contacted her sister and ensured she received medical attention. She is currently receiving treatment at a police medical facility while in hiding.
WACOL also expressed concern over the whereabouts of the palm kernel trader, saying he has not been seen since the attack and urging security agencies to launch an immediate search to determine his fate.
The organisation further alleged that the community’s traditional ruler and President-General banished the survivor and her family after they reported the incident to the police, describing the action as unconstitutional and an attempt to obstruct justice.
While commending the Enugu State Police Command for arresting the woman’s husband and some female suspects, WACOL said several other suspects involved in the alleged crimes remain at large.
The group also expressed concern over reports that the community’s traditional ruler had allegedly influenced the initial release of some suspects before they were rearrested by the police.
“WACOL calls on the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State to ensure the arrest and prosecution of all those involved in the alleged rape, torture and attempted murder.
“The Enugu State Government and the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs should also investigate the roles played by the community’s traditional ruler and President-General, andg they should be held accountable if found to have obstructed justice or aided the alleged perpetrators.
“We demand adequate security for the survivor, her sister and other members of her family, who it said are now living in fear.
“No woman should be subjected to this level of brutality and humiliation,” the organisation stated, adding that its legal and psychosocial support teams have been activated to assist the survivor throughout her recovery and the pursuit of justice.
