First Lady of Abia State, Mrs Priscilla Otti has described as deeply saddened the case of a man, who early Sunday morning in Umuahia, gouged out his wife’s eyes allegedly for ritual purposes.
It was gathered the man, Lawrence Uzor, an aluminium worker from Umuchieze in Bende LGA, living at Adiele Estate in Umueze Ibeku in Umuahia North had about 1 am used a knife to remove his wife’s eyes as she was asleep.
The couple’s landlady, Madam Lovejane Nwaiwu who was also admitted at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, disclosed that “about 10 pm on Saturday, I heard the man shouting ‘Odogwu, Odogwu (mighty, mighty)’. I was worried as I had not heard the man and his wife, Amarachi Lawrence praying like that.
“I started praying for them. After that. I couldn’t sleep up to about 12 am and was restless. At about 1 am, the wife, who is a teacher with one of the foremost private schools in the Umuahia and aged 38 years started shouting, ‘Mummy, I have been killed’. I opened my door, came out peeped through their bedroom window and saw the man pressed down on the wife with a knife in his hands,” she said.
She continued “I started pushing on people’s gates and calling out to Umueze people, but nobody came out or responded. After all, my attempts to call neighbours to come and nobody answered me, I went to their parlour door and started knocking on the door and suddenly, he opened the door while holding the knife and tried giving me cuts on the head but I defended my head with my hand and he cut me at the hand and further slashed the knife at my face that incidentally cut me at the mouth and many of my upper teeth came out.
“I ran into my house and locked the door, while he ran outside, locked our gate and went to a neighbour’s house to tell them that he had killed his wife and his landlord’s wife. While inside my room, I called my mother and my daughter, who then called a church neighbour and the community vigilance team who rushed to the neighbour’s house and apprehended him.”
Speaking at the Federal Medical Centre, FMC Umuahia where the victims are being treated, Mrs Otti said she was deeply saddened by the case just a few days after signing the compact agreement with the UNFPA on gender-based violence, stating “This is a terrible case of violence, attempted murder”, adding that she would take immediate action to ensure the victim is well and protected.
Otti further assured that the state government would tackle such cases, stating that she would ensure further GBV responses front desk and team would take proper actions.
She commended the Umueze Ibeku community over their response and support to the issue, assuring the state GBV will be partnering with communities.
The Abia First Lady also donated cash for the treatment and upkeep of the victims.
Earlier in his response, the Medical Director of FMC, Umuahia, Prof. Azubuike Onyebuchi, who was represented by his Director. Medical Services, Mrs Aisha Onyemaobi explained to Otti that reports indicated that the main victim, 38-year-old Lawrence, was deeply asleep when the husband woke her up and started cutting her.
Onyemaobi further disclosed that a good progress in her recovery is expected, saying the suspect is in custody.
Also speaking, the Umueze Ibeku community chairman and General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, Umuahia Zone, Tutus Jonah lamented, “It was just like a film that faithful morning”, disclosing that before that day, the victim and her husband had been living very well as husband and wife.
He however mentioned that it was gathered that a young man in the village took Lawrence to a prayer house, after which he came back following a visit to a local stream with colanut, egg and other items.
He said that the owner of the prayer house was arrested.
“We heard that he has been released,” he said, appreciating Otti for her care.
The victim’s sister, Ijeoma Okpokiri and her cousin, Chioma Okpokiri, both from Emede Ibeku pleaded with the Inspector General of Police and Government at all levels, particularly the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti to look into the matter and to also help their sister to recover.
