The rapist fled the community but he was traced to a faraway town, Adiga market, where he was arrested and he has been detained in the police cell in Okpoga.
The police in Okpoga, Benue State, have arrested a herdsman with an amputated hand, for raping a married woman in Ai-ede Ogego area in the Okpokwu Local Government Area of the state.
SaharaReporters learnt that the police trailed the herdsman to a faraway town, Adiga market, where he was arrested and detained in the police cell in Okpoga, the headquarters of Okpokwu LGA.
It was gathered that the herdsman raped the Idoma woman inside a bush in Ai-ede Ogego, an incident which has generated tension in the community, as the natives claimed a ritual had to be done on the woman due to the intercourse.
SaharaReporters also learnt that the residents have given an eviction notice to the herdsmen to prevent them from raping other married women.
A source said, "The victim who was a married woman struggled with her assailant inside the bush but there was no one close by to help her. She was overpowered by the one-handed herdsman and raped.
"The rapist fled the community but he was traced to a faraway town, Adiga market, where he was arrested and he has been detained in the police cell in Okpoga.
"Some money has already been released by the herdsman to the husband's family of the victim to perform the rituals on the married woman."
Another source noted that the victim's village people were bent on avenging the crime and this has further caused tension and apprehension in the area.
The source further explained that even though the incident happened last week, the invasion of the area by more herdsmen, some without cattle, had created a lot of fear and suspicion among inhabitants.
Accordingly, the villagers are also mobilising youths for fear that there may be an attack on their kinsmen by herders.