A chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), in Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue state, Dennis Uja, is currently in trouble for raping a 15 year-old girl.
Uja who is being trailed by the Benue state Police Command is on the run after he commited the dastardly act.
The incident took place last Tuesday, June 2, 2020, at about 10a.m.
The girl, (names withheld) after the incident was found in a pool of her blood. She did not only bleed from the cuts inflicted on her by her rapist, she also bled from where she had major operation done on her, about four months ago, after the rapist forcefully tore open the stitches of the operation.
Narrating the ordeal to our correspodent on phone, elder brother of the victim, as Odey Ameh said “My sister will be 15 years this September. She had major operation not up to four months ago. She had hernia and appendix operation.
According to Ameh, “They, (my sister, mother and others), were frying garri and my mother sent her to go and get more firewood. So while she was going, the guy grabbed her by the hand when she passed by his compound.
She started pleading, “what is it? Leave me, leave me alone” and the guy started beating her. He beat her mercilessly, tore her dresses, tore her pants and raped her.
Immediately he grabbed her and took her inside, he increased the volume of his radio set so that no one will hear her scream. He then sent one of his boys nicknamed “Mono” to stand guard outside and watch when someone is coming.
After he finished raping her, he asked the guy if someone was outside and when he told him that no one was there, he pushed her out and threatened her that if she dares mention it to anybody, he will kill her.
Continuing, the distraught elder brother said, “the girl could not even walk. She was covered in her pool of blood and was crying. When people spotted her with blood all over, they were shocked and asking her what happened. It was the guys neighbour, a woman, who came and held my sister by the shoulder and was assisting her to walk that she told what happened.
According to Ameh, the neighbour also confirmed that she heard voices and screams from the guys room but because he had increased the volume of his radio, she was confused on where the noise was coming from. So she became alert and immediately she saw her being thrown out, she now knew what was going on.
“The guy in question is the Secretary of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), in Otukpo, Benue State, Dennis Edi Uja and because he is a bad boy, everyone is afraid of him.”
Ameh said they have reported the case to Zone C police station in Otukpo and up till the time of filling this report, the boy was yet to be arrested.
“We reported the case to the police in Otukpo town and the police took her to the hospital conducted some tests which showed positive to rape. They also saw her undies soaked with blood and semen in private part. They also took pictures of her swollen face and sign of the suspect’s hands on cheeks.
“However, they did not send any of their personnel to effect the arrest of the suspect immediately but promised to take it up from there.
“We waited till the next day (Wednesday) after paying for the test and file, but the police did nothing.
“On the third day, the suspect came smoking and boasting around the village that his ‘madam’, a powerful politician in the House of Representatives from that area, had sent money to the police and nothing is going to happen.
“And I realised that it may be true which is why the police is yet to take action. I said this is very unfair, so I went to the police to ask what was happening about the case and they told me that we are not serious and that we are the ones to go arrest the boy and bring him to the station.
“The police then directed us to the vigilante in the area to make the arrest, but they also said their vehicle has broken down.
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“I felt so bad when the vigilante sent us back to the police, who said that Otada village, where the boy was taking refuge then, is no-go-area for the police because they don’t go there to make arrests.
“I then went and confronted the suspect in his house in Otukpo. And when I got there he had seven other men with him drinking and smoking Indian hemp.
“On sighting me, they attacked me and I sent for my father. And immediately my father came, they started fighting him too. The boys with the suspect then broke some of the suspect’s windows and made it look like I and my father did it.
“They then ran to the police station and reported that I and my father came to destroy his home. Do you know the same police followed them immediately to come and arresteus?”
Ameh who wondered why the poor cannot get justice lamented that his sister is still in the hospital since that incident adding that her father is also finding it difficult to foot the hospital bills.
He called on the state government and concerned Organisations to help bring the rapist to book.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Catherine Anene confirmed the incident saying the case was reported and that the police was on the trail of the suspect who was on the run.
She however debunked allegations that the police may have swept the case under the carpet after collecting money from a political figure in the LGA, to look the other way.
Anene insisted, “The suspect is on the run, we are trailing him. The man is no where to be found, he is on the run. The report that he paid police money is just a rumour, if he paid money to the police, why is he running?
Also speaking to our correspodent on phone, a social worker, community leader and activist, Mrs. Julie Okoh also expressed disgust at the incident saying “this is not the first time he is carrying out this act and we believe that by the grace of God, Edi will soon meet his waterloo and the strong arm of the law with catch up with him.
“The LG chairman, the newly elected chairman, the Home Land Defenders, the youths and many of us are on it. Our hands are on deck to ensure that justice is done.
“Right now Ene is in hospital trying to recover.
Mrs. Okoh advise the youths in the state to eschew violence and all the social vices that has made life a double standard.
“We have lost the family values and that is why our children are doing the things that we no longer have control of; we are so busy pursing the things of the world that we no longer care to know the company our children are keeping.
“Parents must ensure that their children are not used for political thuggery, because if not for thuggery and quest for political power, nobody will continually have the pleasure of taking advantage of an underaged girl, when he is married with three kids. He is married with three beautiful kids, all boys and I don’t know why he has interest in teenagers,” Mrs. Okoh said.
