Increased rape cases: Under-aged under siege in Benue

The recent upsurge in the rate of rape victims particularly minors in Benue state is assuming a worrisome dimension as DANIEL AGBO narrates recent incidents.
More worrisome because it is committed by persons who are old enough to father these minors. In some of the cases reported, the culprits are foster parents to these kids. The case of late Ochanya Ogbaje, the 13-year- old student of Federal Government Girls Secondary School Gboko, who was raped by a polytechnic lecturer and his son, who incidentally is Ochanya’s cousin, is still fresh in the minds of the people.
Ochanya had, since 2012 when she was 7 years old, lived with Mr Andrew Ogbuja who was married to her aunt.Report had it that the purpose of her joining the family of Mr Ogbuja was for her to have a better education, however, that was not to be as Victor, a student of the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, (now Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University of Agriculture, Makurdi) and son of Ogbuja, allegedly began to molest her sexually months after she moved in.It was alleged that the father, Mr Ogbuja, who later discovered the atrocity, rather than reprimand the son, joined in causing grievous harm to the young Ochanya.It was also alleged that the molesters went as far as having carnal knowledge of the girl both from the anus and the vagina thereby resulting in serious health complications especially on account of her age. The outcome of which was her death. Ochanya’s case is only one among many other rape cases being recorded in the state in recent times.
Recent reported casesFor instance, on June 27 2019, a 14-years-old Miss Erdoo Ayorave, JSS 1 student from Gboko was reported to have been raped, impregnated and forced into abortion with unknown herbs by her aunt’s husband simply identified as Peter.Erdoo, according to reports, lives with her aunt who is married to Peter and works as a security guard in a secondary school at Gboko.It was alleged that the said Peter had been threatening the teenager not to say a word to anyone about the sexual escapades until he finally impregnated her.It was learnt that after he realised the minor was pregnant, he started administering different types of herbs on her in order to abort the child, a situation that resulted in serious complications.The man was also said to have even locked the girl up in a room to prevent her from exposing him, but the neighbour who already knew about the situation reported him to the police for action.
Also in Gboko, on August 7 2019, a 36-year-old man identified as Aondover Kwaghnyion who resides at Dzeremo Gbar street in Gboko was arrested for allegedly raping his 11-year-old house help.
It was gathered that the suspect was arrested in Gboko, after the victim’s mother, who is a widow, reported the case to the police.Barely a week after the Gboko incidence, a 60-year-old man, Clement Ogeyi, was arrested by the vigilante at Otukpo for allegedly raping a five-year- old girl.
Ogeyi, who is married with children, is said to be in the habit of raping children. It is reported that many have been his victims.In Makurdi the Benue state capital, a 10-year-old child Masenegen was raped and forced into motherhood after passing through a tortious situation. Masengen, whose father was brutally murdered during the herdsmen crisis, was displaced with her mother and both moved to a Internally Displaced Persons IDPs camp in Makurdi.Because of the hardship they were passing through in the camp, the mother had to quickly remarry. This was the beginning of Masenengen’s journey into early motherhood. Because the mother could not accommodate her in the new husband’s house, she moved in with the grand mother, who could not take proper care of her. It was during the process of searching for food that she met a young man, Terna Taga, who instead of assisting her, raped and got her pregnant.
On Monday August 19 2019, another woman was raped to death in Makurdi in front of Grace Tower Church. Although the police said they could not ascertain if it was a case of rape, the victim who should be in her 30s was found naked. Torn cloths suspected to be hers were scattered at the scene where her body was discovered. The case of Ochanya, Masenegen, Erdoo and others mentioned above are just few among many reported cases that minors and young girls have gone through.There are many of such rapes cases that are reported and others not reported, with victims dying in silence with many children falling prey to sexual predators. Some end up with unwanted and early pregnancies, others have their womb destroyed, many live with VVF, or are infected with deadly diseases and some suffer from psychological trauma the whole of their life time.
Many victims like Ochanya end up loosing their lives as a result of this dastardly act.It is most unfortunate that culprits are sometimes  persons known to the victims.
Many stakeholder have expressed worry over the high rate rape in the state and called for urgent step to nip it in the bud.Act barbaric – Oturkpo council bossThe caretaker chairman, of Otukpo local government council, Chief George Alli, while speaking on the increase number of rape cases in his council condemned the act in totality.The council boss, who said rape was alien in the state and his local government, called on law enforcement agencies to get to the root of the problem with the aim of stopping it.He said it was barbaric for anybody to indulge in rape or it’s anxillary offences.Mr Alli also called on both religious and traditional institutions to sensitise the public against it.He however urged the police and other security apparatus to endeavour to bring all perpetrators of rape to book.He disclosed that there have been about three cases of rapes in Otukpo in recent times.Other stakeholders condemned actAn activist, Msurshima Nevkaa, who spoke with Blueprint lamented the increase in sexual violence against children in the state.”I wonder what the ‘he  goats’ see in the children that warrant this kind of devilish act.”I work in an NGO and the  study we have recently carried out shows that sexual assault is becoming common in the state with increasing prevalence and change in pattern.”We have discovered that young persons aged less  than 20 years constitute the majority of victims and assailants are mostly persons known to them.
“Most of these are usually afraid to open up because they are often threatened not to say a word to anyone. Some keep mute for fear of being stigmatised.
“There is need for the government, churches and the media to intensify public education on the evils of sexual violence.
“Parents, and particularly female guardians should watch their female children or wards closely to understand what is happening to them. They should also train them on how to avoid situations that will place them at the mercy of the molestors,” she added.Also, the chairman, National Association of Women Lawyers, Benue state chapter,  Mrs Magdalene Dura, said the association is creating public enlightenment about the ills of rape and the damage it causes to the female gender.
“Any woman raped is destroyed unless you take a lot of time to counsel and do  psychological healing. 
“As female lawyers, we are ready to offer free legal services to victims of rape in Benue state. This is not limited to rape and sexual violence but vulnerable women, children and less privileged who suffer other domestic violence.
We will counsel and take back to school those who dropped out of their schools as a result of rape,” she assured.