Cultists Kidnap, Rape Pastor’s Wife to Death in Rivers
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
A mother of two, Mrs Chigbewejim Lawyer at the early hour of Sunday, was kidnapped from her house in Abarikpo community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, by suspected cultists and was sexually abused to death.
THISDAY learned that Chigbewejim, a wife to a pastor with Seventh Day Adventist Church in the area, was abducted at about 1.00am and later found dead at about 10.00 am same morning in her community.
It was gathered that the victim’s abductors left her with multiple injuries and blood in her private parts.
In tears, husband to the victim, Pastor Lawyer Steward, an Assistant Pastor in Seventh Day Adventist, explained how his wife was gruesomely murdered.
“I am the husband of Chigbewejim Lawyer who was murdered by some group of boys. After raping her they murdered her.
“I am not a cultist, I am an Assistant Pastor in-charge of Evangelism in Seventh Day Adventist Church Abarikpo. Everybody in my community knows I am not a cultist.
“She gave birth to three children one is late. The surviving ones are aged seven, a female and the male aged three years.”
Mr. Lawyer pleaded with the government for justice.
“I am telling the government that those who murdered my wife should be brought to justice. Though one Aka Sunday, a cultist claimed he slaughtered my wife, that people told him my wife always talked against him. The Sunday is a cultist that is the reason he murdered her.”
Mr. Lawyer also revealed that the Ahoada Police Division in Ahoada Local Government Area led by the DPO visited the scene of crime Sunday evening.
Reacting to the incident, Public Relations Officer of Igbu Akoh Clan Youth Congress, Ahoada East LGA, Mr. Ekeakita Hector Chinem, confirmed the incident.
He said: “So like we have been having series of killing in Akoh, when they kill anybody, no security agencies goes after the bad boys. No political leader goes after the issue, people are afraid in the community. You report or don’t report what will happen will happen.
“So people are living in fear. The killing of the woman is not cult related because she is a married woman. Late last year we witnessed 11 killings in that community.
“A member of one of the cult group went to their camp and collected the AK 47 of their master and ran away to their community at Abarikpo, only for the cult leader to send his boys to waste innocent lives where 11 persons were killed and till today no investigation, no action was taken by the Police, nothing.”
Meanwhile, the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign has condemned the abduction and rape of Mrs Chigbewejim Lawyer to death.
National Coordinator of the group, Prince Wiro, called on the police to ensure the full weight of the law is brought on the perpetrators.
