Residents
of Oke Ota community in the Ibeshe, Ikorodu, Lagos State, on Thursday blocked
the Ibeshe Road to protest against the rape and killing of a Ghanaian resident,
Grace Obinna, by a man identified simply as Badoo.
WE that apart from 27-year-old Obinna, Badoo had raped two other
women in the area, cutting them with knives afterwards.
Our correspondent learnt that Badoo, who sneaked into women’s apartments only at
night, had also struck in Ilemeren, Abule, Oluwoye, Ibeshe Titun, and other
communities around Oke Ota.
It
was gathered that the attack on Obinna, a mother of one, which occurred around
1am on Sunday, was Badoo’s latest, which had forced other women to relocate to
houses outside the community.
We gathered that on Sunday, Badoo broke the window into Obinna’s apartment
and went into the room of the victim while her husband was away.
The
assailant was said to have raped Obinna and hit her head with weapons.
It
was learnt that when neighbours and local vigilance group members, who heard
the victim’s cries, got to the room, the man had fled, while Obinna and her
baby were in a pool of blood.
Our correspondent gathered that the Ghanaian was rushed to two hospitals, but was
rejected.
She
was confirmed dead at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.
Reports
learnt that the matter was reported at the Ipakodo Police Division and the
residents added that the suspect had threatened to wreak more havoc in the
community.
We learnt that the panic prompted the Thursday’s protest, as residents
blocked the Ibeshe Road and demanded that security agencies mobilise to the
area to arrest the suspect.
The
Chairman of the landlords’ association, Pastor Abayomi Adelakun, told us that the man attempted to rape an 86-year-old woman in the community a
week before the Ghanaian fell victim.
He
said, “Two weeks ago, he came to Oke Ota and attacked an 86-year-old grandma.
He attempted to rape her, but when she resisted, he injured her in the nose.
The woman was rushed to a hospital. She survived the attack.
“On
Sunday, around 1am, I was called by a security man that Badoo had raped and
brutalised Grace (Obinna), who was a teacher with a nine-month-old baby. When
we got to the scene, I could not recognise the lady again. All her teeth had
been removed; she was in a pool of blood. She was rejected at two hospitals,
but confirmed dead at LASUTH.
“Badoo
forces himself into women’s rooms, rapes and brutalises them if they resist. He
was doing that in neighbouring communities and has now come to Oke Ota.”A
resident, who gave her name only as Adenike, said Badoo usually sneaked into
women’s apartments naked.
She
said, “We do not know the power this man is using. He does not steal; he only
sneaks into women’s rooms and rapes them. After the act, he uses a handkerchief
to rub the victim’s private parts. Women, who have seen him at night, said he
also rubbed oil on his body and walked naked so that no one could easily hold
him. All of us can no longer sleep in our houses.”
The
Baale of Oke Ota community, Chief Awoyemi Tijani, told us that his
wife also could not sleep at home because of the attacks.
He
said, “Nobody has seen him in the daytime. I don’t know what he looks like. We
call on the government to guarantee our security and safety. Since the day we
heard about this, my wife no longer sleeps at home. I am wondering if Badoo is
a spirit.”
The
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, said the command
had commenced investigation into the incident.
She
said, “The command learnt about the protest, although the incident of rape and
murder was never reported at the division. All necessary mercenaries have been
set in motion to arrest the culprit and to forestall a recurrence.”
Source: The Punch
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