The alleged torture and rape of two teenage girls by five men in Ondo town, Ondo State, has attracted the attention of traditionalists in the town, as they have sealed off the houses of the suspects,PUNCH reports.
The suspects, respectively named as Bode Akinsiku, Olabanji Femi, Abiodun Ayodele, Fadairo Wahab, and Adedayo Adebayo, are currently in prison custody, having been remanded by a Chief Magistrate Court for alleged torture and rape of two teenage girls at Kogbona Street in the town.
The suspects were also alleged to have videotaped the incident in which they reportedly stripped the victims naked while torturing them.
They also allegedly posted the video clips on social media.
It was gathered that scores of traditional religion worshippers on Monday took to the streets of the town to carry out some traditional rites that were reportedly meant to cleanse the town and rid it of the consequences of the alleged rape of the underage girls
“The act is considered a taboo in the town,” a source said.
The source narrated that the traditional religion worshippers, who dressed in their different attires, converged on a spot in the town where they offered prayers before moving in a procession to the residents of the alleged rapists.
The source said,
“The traditionalists ejected other residents of the rape suspects’ houses and tied specially prepared palm fronds around the houses after reciting incantations.They also locked the doors and windows of the houses, and they used some wooden planks to demarcate the houses, all the while chanting incantations.”
The source further stated that the traditionalists decided to embark on the spiritual rites to serve as a deterrent to anyone who might want to commit such act.
A traditional chief in the town, who craved anonymity, commended the traditional rites, saying that such act would not be repeated in the ancient town.
“You see, if you watch the video, it is a taboo and an abomination — not only in Ondo town, but in the entire Yoruba land.
“We don’t want a repeat of such an ungodly act in our land,” he said.
Emeh Achanga,the CEO of the Miss Petite Nigeria Brand is a lawyer turned blogger. She is very passionate about writing, with several publications and awards to her credit .She is currently working on publishing a collection of short stories which are basically a memoir about her exciting true experiences.
