Suspected Herdsman Arrested over Attempted Rape

By James Sowole in Akure

The police in Ondo State is investigating an incident of attempted rape involving a herdsman, who allegedly attacked a 28- year- old woman, Mrs. Florence Godday.
The woman alleged that he was attacked and injured on her farm in Igbo Abo, near Osi community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State by a man who she initially suspected to be a Fulani herdsman.
Narrating her ordeal, the woman said while working alone on her cassava farm, she became afraid immediately she saw the man behind her and decided to leave for fear of possible attack by the man.

“I was about going home when I noticed the Fulani man on my farm, I was scared but greeted him and he replied.
“I sought his assistance in putting the firewood on my head which he obliged. But before I could thank him, he attacked me with his cutlass and machete me on the head.
“Before I could question him or know what was happening, he gagged me and tore my clothes and I raised alarm. He suspected the noise could attract other farmers around, he took to his heels, with his blood stained cloth”, she said.

However, the woman said she managed to get to the nearest community after the man had ran away.

“I was tired and weak to walk again because I have lost so much blood, a woman in the community gave me another cloth and I was helped   hospital where I was treated.

“I can’t really explain the motive behind the attack by the Fulani man, maybe to kill me or to rape me but he removed all my wrapper and clothes before I could raise alarm after he had machete me.

Mrs. Godday said a good Samaritan in the community contacted her husband, Thomas Godday, who is a member of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and the incident was reported at the police station.

The husband, Godday, from Delta State, said he mobilised his members to comb the area and also reported the case to the head of Fulani in the area who handed the suspect in a blood soaked cloth to the OPC members, who handed him over to the police.

Godday said though the family of the suspect paid for the hospital bill but expressed shock and disappointment over the release of the suspect by the police.

The man, who demanded justice in the matter, said the matter should not end there.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the Ondo State Command, Mr. Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident.

He said the suspects had been arrested but granted bail while investigation has begun into the matter.

He disclosed that the man was a scavenger and met the woman on her farm, and attempted to sexually abuse the woman but injured her in the process.

However, Joseph said “the suspect is not a Fulani man but speaks Hausa. He is from Langtang in Plateau State but not a Fulani herdsman as claimed by the people.

“He has been granted bail and asked to come back to the station today (Monday) while investigation is on -going and will be charge to court after the investigation,” Joseph said