How suspected rapists killed pregnant woman in Lagos

DAYS after some concerned Nigerian women’s right activists stageda protest over violent sexual attacks against women especially with children, a pregnant woman was killed by suspected rapist at the weekend in Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb.

The incident which took place at Oluwoye, Ibeshe Titun, in Ikorodu led to the death of the pregnant woman identified as Mrs. Afusat Kazeem, after she was raped and stabbed to deathat her residence.

Her husband and two children and a neighbour were injured by the marauding rapist.

National Daily gathered that the husband, Yusuf Kazeem, 30, and two children Rhodia, 6, and Opeyemi, 5, were asleep when the attackers gained access into their apartment through one of the windows.

It was further gathered that the suspects might be members of a serial rapists’ gang, Badoo, whom the Lagos State Police Command have declared wanted.

National Daily learnt that immediately the rapists gained access by shattering the glass window, the husband Kazeem woke to resist the intruders but was unlucky as the rapist dealt him a machete blow on the head, which left him unconscious before they grabbed the woman and raped her to stupor.

Not done with the rape, they were said to have stabbed her on her face. They were also said not to have spared the children as they cut off one of Opeyemi’s ears and left Rhoda with head injury just as they screamed at what happened to their parents.

As if that was not enough, they stormed another house and inflicted injuries on a couple identified as Mr. Sunday Robert, 52, before fleeing the community.

It was however not immediately known why the rapists had to kill the pregnant woman after raping her.

Speaking with National Daily, a resident identified as Mr Ajibade Olawole expressed fear, noting that the level of insecurity in the community especially series of rapes that have taken place recently was alarming.

He said, “The situation is so bad that people have started relocating from the village.

There seems not to be a solution to the cases of rape. In the last few weeks, several women have been raped and killed. Girls are molested by these rapists and yet, nothing has been done.

He further explained that even though that they have arrested some of their members, the gangs kept on springing up and attacking more women.

It was learnt that the rapists mostly go after married, pregnant women and children, killing anyone who attempt to resist having forced sex with them.

Confirming the incident, the Lagos state police command’s spokesperson, Superintendent Dolapo Badmos, told National Daily that the case of whether the attackers were suspected rapista have not been confirmed as they are still investigating.

She explained that everything was being done to ensure that members of Ibeshe community were not further exposed to the vagaries of criminals. He appealed to members of the community that have information about the criminals to make it available to them.

The Women’s right activists that protested said they have had enough of rapists terrorizing their community. Singing in the local Yoruba language, they call on authorities to apprehend the perpetrators.

The protesters are from Ibeshe, a group of communities just outside Lagos. In recent months there’s been a spate of particularly violent cases of rape in the area. While sexual violence is certainly not uncommon in Nigeria, the Ibeshe attackers often leave their victims severely injured.

One woman, 85-years-old, described what happened to her: “He cut my nose into pieces, and inflicted other injuries on me. There was blood all over my body. Maybe he thought I was dead. It seemed like when he threw me to the ground he thought I was dead. It wasn’t until I opened my eyes that I knew how badly he had injured me.”

In the hospital, doctors stitched her left nostril partially shut, making it very difficult for her to breathe properly and leaving her face permanently disfigured.

Community leaders say on average, there’s one case of rape or attempted rape every week.Like the elderly woman, some have survived despite severe injuries; at least one person has died as a result of the attacks. And the victims include children as young as five-years-old.

The convener, Betty Abah, of CEE-HOPE, a group that works to stem the tide of sexual violence in the country said the situation in Ibeshe was not isolated. Abah says rape culture is growing in Nigeria in part because offenders are usually not punished.

“Every single day there are cases of rape, especially of minors. This is not just normal.This is not like we have always had it. From all indications, the cases are on the rise. So,we have many more cases that are not reported, to show you how huge the problem is. Until we are able to apply the law, to ensure that there is deterrence, it will continue to happen.