First Lady of Abia State, Priscilla Otti, has described as deeply saddening the case of a man, Lawrence Uzor, who early on Sunday morning in Umuahia, the state capital, gouged out the eyes of his wife, Amarachi Lawrence, allegedly for ritual purposes.
The aluminium worker from Umuchieze in Bende LGA lives at Adiele Estate in Umueze Ibeku in Umuahia North LGA.
Uzor had about 1am used a knife to remove his wife’s eyes as she was asleep.
The couple’s landlady, Madam Lovejane Nwaiwu, who was also admitted at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, disclosed: “About 10pm on Saturday, I heard the man shouting: ‘Odogwu, Odogwu (mighty, mighty).’
“I was worried as I had 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 12am and was restless.
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“At about 1am, the wife, who is a teacher with one of the foremost private schools in the Umuahia and aged 38 years, started shouting: ‘Mummy, I have been killed.’
“I opened my door, came out, peeped through their bedroom window and saw the man pressed 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 my 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 on the head, but I defended my head with my hand and he cut me in 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 had 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.”
Speaking at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, where the victims are being treated, Otti said she was deeply saddened by the case just a few days after signing the compact agreement with the UNFPA on gender-based violence.
She stated: “This is a terrible case of violence, attempted murder,” adding that she would take immediate action to ensure the victim is well and protected.
Otti further assured that the state government would tackle such cases, stating that she would ensure further GBV responses front desk and team would take proper actions.
She commended the Umueze Ibeku community over their response and support to the issue, assuring the state GBV will be partnering with communities.
The Abia First Lady also donated cash for the treatment and upkeep of the victims.
Earlier, the Medical Director of FMC, Umuahia, Prof. Azubuike Onyebuchi, who was represented by his Director. Medical Services, Aisha Onyemaobi, explained to Otti that reports indicated that the main victim, 38-year-old Lawrence, was deeply asleep when the husband woke her up and started cutting her.
Onyemaobi further disclosed that good progress in her recovery is expected, saying the suspect is in custody.
Also speaking, the Umueze Ibeku Community Chairman and General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, Umuahia Zone, Tutus Jonah, lamented: “It was just like a film that faithful morning,” disclosing that before that day, the victim and her husband had been living very well as husband and wife.
He mentioned that it was gathered that a young man in the village took Lawrence to a prayer house, after which he came back following a visit to a local stream with colanut, egg and other items.
He said that the owner of the prayer house was arrested.
“We heard that he has been released,” he said, appreciating Otti for her care.
The victim’s sister, Ijeoma Okpokiri, and her cousin, Chioma Okpokiri, both from Emede Ibeku, pleaded with the Inspector General of Police and government at all levels, particularly the Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, to look into the matter and to also help their sister to recover.
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