From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Benue State has seen several crimes over the years, ranging from herdsmen’s attacks, killing of innocent villagers, banditry, armed robbery, kidnapping and gender-based violence, especially rape.
But more worrisome are cases of rape, some of which have claimed the lives of victims, leaving others and their family members devastated. According to the state police command, several cases of rape have been reported to the command, although no figure was given.
The most recent was the rape of a mother of three, who has been sick for years. She was sexually violated by a native doctor, Terwase Adibvue, who was reportedly treating her.
Terwase Adibvue, who is crippled, is now in police custody after he was arrested by the police division in Tse-Agberegba, Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State, where the incident took place. He was arrested after the husband of the sick woman, Ambrose Agande, reported the matter to the police.
According to police reports, the sick woman (names withheld) had on December 18, 2022, after Sunday church service, told one of her friends about her health condition. According to her, she had suffered the condition for years and had also been almost everywhere in search of a cure, to no avail.
Out of pity and determined to help, the friend led her to Terwase, a native doctor, whom she said would be able to cure her, as he had healed several persons of such ailments.
The sick women later met Terwase, who charged her a certain amount of money with the assurance that he would cure her ailment. He, however, gave a condition that she would have to be admitted in his place for some time.
At that juncture, the sick woman said she would have to discuss it with her husband before taking any decision. When they eventually came back, the native doctor told her that the husband could always join her to pass the night.
On December 22, 2022, they were admitted and husband and wife started sleeping there and on December 26, another woman, who was earlier admitted was discharged after receiving treatment.
In the night of December 26, 2022, Terwase told the sick woman’s husband to provide a native chicken that same night for him to perform a very important ritual. Despite the complaints of the husband to allow him get the chicken the following day, since it was too late in the night, the native doctor insisted it must be done that night.
At 12.30am on December 27, 2022, while the sick woman was sleeping after the husband had gone in search of a native chicken for the ritual, the native doctor broke into the room with a rod and threatened to kill her if she dared shout. The report said that as he was threatening her, he also threatened to kill the husband and the woman who introduced them to his house.
He then pushed the sick woman with the rod onto the bed and had carnal knowledge of her. At about 5am the same day, the native doctor woke up and made moves for a second round, but the sick woman complained of pains and fever and insisted that she needed to go home to take care of herself.
At that point, the native doctor became furious and threatened her again that if she dared report what happened the previous night, he would kill her husband and cause the children to go mad.
Even when he allowed her to go, he insisted she must not carry her bag along. While heading home, she met her husband on the way and told him what had happened.
The report said when the case was reported to the police, the police took her to the hospital that same morning where the doctors confirmed she was penetrated severally.
The Benue State Police Command also arrested 25-year-old Matthew Tyongu for raping an underage girl on the pretext that he wanted to have her as a wife.
Our correspondent gathered that the incident took place in Naka town, Gwer West LGA of the state, where Matthew and his friend gang-raped the girl at his Agagbe residence.
The friend, who is now on the run, was said to be notorious for such crimes as he had been named in several rape cases in the area and was on the wanted list of the police for other crimes.
Tyongu, who confessed to have had carnal knowledge of the 15-year-old, said he first met the girl along the road as she was alone and he decided to approach her and later took her to his house. He said it was when he went out that his friend came in and raped her.
Meanwhile, the girl, during interrogation, opened up to the police that Tyongu and his friend raped her.
He said: “I wanted to marry her because I came home during the festive period to look for a wife, since the one I had in mind disappointed me. I decided to look for one before I return to the South West, where I work on a farm. With what happened, I am confused. I don’t know what to do.”
The victim’s stepfather, Justine Mkovul, called on the police to prosecute the offenders and punish them for their crimes. He expressed worry over the health status of the girl after the violation by two persons, saying they must be made to face the wrath of the law.
Meanwhile, the police public relations officer, SP Catherine Anene, has stated that the suspects, who are already in their custody, would be prosecuted according to the law.
Anene noted that the command would not take such matter for granted as it frowned on sexual violation, among other crimes. She promised that the other suspect now at large would also be fished out and dealt with.
Anene called on those who engaged in such acts to desist and turn a new leaf, as the command would not spare anyone caught for such crimes.