A 40-year-old motorcyclist, Akpo Igwe, has been arrested by men of the Benue State Police Command for allegedly raping an eight-month-old pregnant lady at Irabi Council Ward, in the Obi Local Government Area of the state, Punch Newspaper reports.

A source in the victim’s family said she was returning from the market when she stopped the motorcyclist to take her home, adding that during the journey, the motorcyclist diverted into a bush and allegedly raped the victim.

The source said, “The incident happened last Wednesday around 7pm when the woman was returning from the market. She flagged down an Okada man and bargained with him to take her home.”

“On their way, the Okada man diverted from the main road into a nearby bush, held her down and raped her. In the process, the woman passed out and the Okada man, thinking that she had died, dragged her out of the bush and dumped her by a river bank where she laid till the following day.”

“When the victim woke up in the morning, she discovered that she was too weak to stand and so she just laid there praying for help.”

Meanwhile, at home, the source said the victim’s family had been searching for her throughout the night until she was found by the river bank.

“When we found her in that state, we quickly rushed her to the hospital while the matter was reported at the nearest police station leading to the arrest of the culprit. The woman is about eight months pregnant and is expected to deliver her baby in the next few weeks,” the family source said.

Our correspondent, however, learnt that the case had been transferred to the police headquarters in Makurdi.

Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Catherine Anene, said, “The incident is confirmed”, Anene said.