A wave of horror and revulsion swept through Umueze Ibeku community, a suburb of Umuahia, Abia State on Sunday when reports of a gruesome act perpetrated by middle-aged resident, named Lawrence Uzor emerged. He was alleged to have plucked out the eyes of his own wife for ritual sacrifice.
The victim was reportedly in a state of deep slumber when the atrocious act was carried out. She has since been transported to the Federal Medical Centre in Umuahia, where she is receiving medical attention for the injuries sustained during the assault.
The first-hand witness to the aftermath of the heinous act was Madam Lovejane Nwaiwu, the landlady of the residence where Uzor and his wife resided as tenants. Roused from her sleep by the desperate and anguished groans of the victim she rushed into the couple’s apartment, determined to uncover the source of the commotion. Upon entering the residence, she was confronted with a nightmare, as the full extent of the brutality and inhumanity of the attack became horrifyingly apparent.
The suspect desperate to silence any potential witness to his crime and evade accountability, he attacked the landlady, Madam Nwaiwu, with the same knife that was used to perpetrate the vicious assault on his wife. However, fortune favored the landlady, as she managed to evade the suspect’s aggressive pursuit and narrowly escape the attack.
Mrs. Priscilla Otti, the wife of the Governor of Abia State, visited the hospitalized victims of the ghastly attack at the Federal Medical Centre on Monday. It was here that the landlady recounted the details of her encounter with the suspect. Overcome with emotion, she recounted how she narrowly escaped becoming a victim herself, by the grace of providence.
The landlady said:”About 10 pm on Saturday, I heard the man shouting ‘Odogwu, Odogwu (mighty, mighty)’. I was worried as I have 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. About 1 am, the wife, who is a teacher in a private school started shouting, ‘Mummy, I have been killed’.
”I opened my door, came out and peeped through their bedroom window and saw the man pressing down on the wife with a knife in his hands.
“I started pushing on people’s gates and calling out to Umueze people, but nobody came out or responded. After all 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 at 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 has 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”.
Expressing her profound shock and dismay at the heinous and senseless nature of the attack the First Lady of Abia State, pledged to ensure that justice was served to the victims of this tragedy.
Mrs. Otti, who recently signed a compact agreement with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) aimed at addressing gender-based violence, was confronted with a brutal example of such violence occurring within her own community.
Overcomed with righteous indignation, she declared “the suspect will face the full weight of his heinous crime. “This is a terrible case of violence, attempted murder and violence”.
She emphatically assured the public that the State Government would respond promptly and effectively to any future instances of gender-based violence (GBV). In addition, she confirmed that the relevant authorities and agencies responsible for addressing GBV issues would be fully engaged in taking the necessary actions to ensure justice for victims and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions
Mrs. Priscilla Otti commended the members Umueze Ibeku community for their prompt and courageous actions that resulted in the capture of the suspect.
The first lady also provided financial assistance to cover the medical expenses and living costs for the victims of the brutal attack. Reiterating the State Government’s unwavering support for the survivors, Otti emphasized that they were not alone in their journey towards recovery and healing.
Prof. Azubuike Onyebuchi, the Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia through his representative, Mrs Aisha Onyemaobi conveyed his commitment to providing the highest quality of medical care and support to the victims of this tragic incident.
Speaking on behalf of the Umueze Ibeku community, the Chairman and General Manager of Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, Umuahia Zone, Tutus Ambrose Jonah, was quick to condemn the incident in the strongest of terms characterizing it as “barbaric.
“It was just like a film that faithful morning. Before that day, the victim and the husband have been living very well as husband and wife.
“It was alleged that a young man in the village took Lawrence to a prayer house, after which Lawrence came back after a visit to a local stream with cola nut, egg and other items.”
