By Richard Elesho
An Abuja based businessman and community leader, Prince Dare Fiki has raised an alarm over the harassment of women in lonely places and other security violations by suspected Fulani herders, in Kogiwest Senatorial Zone, urging government to urgently strengthen security in the area.
Fiki who is also President of Takete-Ide Progressive Union, TIPU, raised concerns in reaction to reports of attempted rape of a lady in his community. He suggested the combined use of tested traditional safety methods and the conventional security personnel to tackle the menace.
“My appeal is to the government to come to our rescue. We have a situation where our mothers, sisters, wives and daughters are painfully being harassed and violated by this criminal group. All over Okun land, farms are no longer safe.” Fiki said.
A woman had on Tuesday, 23 August, sustained severe injury from her struggles to narrowly escape being raped by a Bororo, (as Fulani herders are called) on her farm.
It was gathered that the traumatised victim, was on her farm behind Chief Omoniwa’s house in the outskirts of Takete Ide when the herdsman with his cattle invaded her garden. Afraid of infuriating the intruder, she looked on as the cattle fed on and destroyed her crops.
When the animals have had their fill, the herdsman led them out of the garden. But, he immediately returned and made a violent advance to satisfy his sexual urge.
The terrified woman shouted and picked race. The unfazed criminal followed her in quick steps and a dangling matcher at hand, shouting “dori falafala.” A struggle ensued with the outlaw applying his weapon to weaken the captive.
After receiving many matchet cuts, the woman fell. However, before the victorious assailant could go further a motorcyclist arrived the scene to terminate his evil bid.
Account of the narrow escape began trending Tuesday night on social media platforms of the community with sons and daughters calling for prayers and determined efforts to check the trend.
“It is really scary. So, the Bororos no longer wait in the bushes to curse harm for us but you can go to near by bush to ease oneself and end up being harmed by them. You can imagine what could have happened without somebody passing by. Government should please come to our aid.” A retiree appealed.