By Cajetan Mmuta, Awka
The First Lady of Abia state and wife of Governor Alex Otti, Mrs. Priscilla Otti has visited Mrs. Amarachi Lawrence
whose husband physically abused and attempted to Pluck out her eyes
Mrs Otti was at Federal Medical Center Umuahia where the victim was rushed to for urgent medical treatment shortly after the incident.
She called on legal institutions and security agencies to swiftly implement laws and measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence.
This was made public by Ndubueze Justice, media aide to the wife of the Governor.
Speaking during her visit at the Federal Medical Centre in Umuahia, on Monday where Mrs. Amarachi Lawrence from Atta Emede Ibeku in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State was hospitalized, Mrs. Otti revealed that her team took action promptly immediately the case was reported.
Mrs Lawrence suffered brutal physical abuse at the hands of her husband, Mr. Lawrence Chukwunyere.
Her husband inflicted severe injuries to her eyes in an attempt to pluck them out, along with machete cuts and genital mutilation.
The governor’s wife said the visit was intended to assess the victim’s condition and extended the government’s support for her treatment and quick recovery even as she made a cash donation to the victim.
According to her, “Investigations are still in progress, the husband could not have acted alone, the state is dedicated to uncovering the truth, promising that everyone implicated will face the full weight of the law”
She emphasised the important role of community involvement in addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and praised Emede community youths and Eze Allen Okpokiri, for their quick and effective response in intervening and reporting the case.
An eyewitness account by Mrs. Lovejane Nwiwu, the landlady of the couple, stated that the couple had been living peacefully without any quarrels until this unfortunate incident where the husband assaulted the wife, used a machete, and mutilated the wife for reasons yet to be known.
Additionally, Nwiwu said the victim’s husband used a machete to inflict several cuts on her (the landlady) while trying to save Mrs Lawrence.
Also, the head of the community neighborhood watch, Mr. Ambrose Jonah, mentioned that he received a report stating that Mr. Lawrence had complained to his friend named Odogwu that his wife had been unable to get pregnant after one year of their marriage.
The said Odogwu took him to a prayer house in Aba, after which he returned, performed some sacrifices, and became abnormal.
This led to him reciting incantations and attempting to murder his wife.
Earlier, the director of nursing services at the Federal Medical Centre, Mrs. Onyemaobi Aisha said that the victim is currently receiving treatment but until her recovery we cannot ascertain if she will still see with her eyes again.
Meanwhile, the governor’s wife visited the traditional ruler of the Emede community, Eze Allen Okpokiri and assured him that justice for Mrs. Amarachi would be served.
She stressed the need for a functional GBV response team in the state, noting that the committee will be established soonest to mitigate cases of domestic violence before it escalate.
