In Enugu state, a young man from Jalingo, Taraba state, was apprehended after he allegedly assaulted and raped a 68-year-old woman.
Abba Kyari Mohammed is accused of committing the assault on Saturday, April 4, in Umulungbe Community, Udi Local Government Area, Enugu State.
According to reports, the victim and another woman were attacked while picking cashew nuts in the farms. Mohammed allegedly used a stick to assault them.
Upon being alerted, villagers rushed to the scene and found Mohammed still on the farm. They apprehended and assaulted him, leading to the intervention of security operatives to prevent a lynching.
The villagers claimed that Mohammed raped the 68-year-old woman prior to their arrival and also accused him of being a Fulani herdsman.
An eyewitness, Chikeokwu, stated that the women were attacked by three men, but only Abba Kyari Mohammed was captured. He mentioned witnessing the rescue of one woman who was left injured on the farm.
Allegedly, leaders of the Fulani herdsmen in the community were summoned but denied knowing the suspect, suggesting that he and his accomplices may have stealthily entered the community.
However, the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, refuted claims of the attacker being a Fulani herdsman.
The suspect was apprehended and received medical treatment for injuries sustained from the villagers. The 68-year-old woman was also taken to the hospital for treatment.
Ndukwe stated that the suspect has been transferred from 9th Mile Police Division to the State Criminal Investigation Department for thorough investigation and prosecution.
Confirming the incident, the administrator of Ojebe Ogene Development Centre in Udi LGA and native of Umulungbe, Mike Ngwuede, expressed gratitude for the intervention of the police and emphasized the unfortunate nature of such incidents amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The chairman of Udi LGA, Ifeanyi Agu, condemned the act and stressed the need to reinforce security measures to prevent its recurrence.
“Prior to my swearing in as council chairman, I consulted widely to ensure absolute security of lives and property in Udi LGA. We have the state’s security committee that has been very active. We also have our Forest Guards and neighbourhood watch.” he said
“I personally advocate farming for our people because of the relative peace in our area. But what happened indicates that we need to re-strengthen our security apparatus to ensure that such never occurred again.”