By Osahon Osahon
Edo State First Lady, Mrs Betsy Obaseki, has condemned in strong terms the gang-raping and killing of 22-year-old 100-level microbiology student of the University of Benin, Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa.
The governor’s wife also decried the growing violence against women and children following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
Mrs. Obaseki stated this when she visited the parents of the late Uwaila, Mr. and Mrs. Omozuwa, to pay the family condolences over the gruesome killing of the student inside a church in Benin.
Uwaila was allegedly gang-raped and had her head smashed with a fire extinguisher inside a church last week.
At least one person has been arrested by the police in connection with the murder of the undergraduate who had gone to the church to read.
She called for urgent end to violence against women and children in the state.
“Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have recorded a sharp rise in domestic and sexual violence against women and children in our society.
“A few days ago, we lost a promising young female student of the University of Benin, Uwaila Omozuwa, to the hand of rapists.
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“As mothers in the land, we are raising our voices in anger, and we are saying enough of this madness. Stop this violence now,” she said.
The Edo First Lady, however, condoled with the family of late Uwaila Omozuwa of the unfortunate incident.
Earlier, Mr. Omozuwa narrating the agony his daughter went through on her hospital bed as a result of injuries inflicted on her by her assailants.
He added that “tears kept pouring from her eyes while she was in a coma for four days, until she died.”
He described the late 100-level UNIBEN student as “a well-behaved girl who had kept her virginity the past 22 years.”
Mrs. Obaseki however assured the bereaved family that the death of the Uwaila will not be vain.
Wife of the state deputy governor, Mrs. Maryann Shaibu, the state commissioner for social development and gender, Maria Edekor and other state officials accompanied the First Lady on the condolence visit.
