From what Sunday Vanguard saw of Paulina, the beautiful woman who
men
found irresistible was a shadow of her former self after she was
discharged from University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, Benin
City, two months ago. She spent a year in the acid victims’ ward. When
Sunday Vanguard visited her home, she fumbled about her sitting room,
unable to see, but eager to welcome the team. What came to mind was
man’s inhumanity to man.
Today, Paulina, a divorcee and mother of two, needs a lifeline of N10 million to restore her dignity.
‘How I met my ex-lover’
Heart-broken Paulina tells her story, “I divorced
my husband with whom I had two kids after irreconcilable differences
and incompatibility and relocated to Ujevwu in Udu Local Government
Area of Delta State. There, I began selling meat at the Warri
Refinery and Petrochemical Company, WRPC, area, a business which
sustained and provided for my needs as the kids are with their father.
“One
day, I was conveyed by a motorcycle rider, who identified himself as
Mr. Difference Ogba, and told me he was resident in Egini, a
neighbouring community to Ujevwu. He said he was unmarried. He picked
interest in me and I told him I was a divorcee. He said he did not
mind.
“After about six months, my church members alerted me that Ogba was
married with wife and four kids. I trailed him and got the truth and I told him to leave me alone, but he refused. His wife got wind of our relationship and started coming to abuse me at home. I insisted Ogba leave me alone, but he refused. He went to disturb my pastor. The pastor asked him to leave me alone, but he would not listen. They beat me up and took my money (N30,000). I reported to the leadership of Egini community. They reprimanded him but he would not change his mind.”
Escape to Ekrokpe
The victim explained that because of Ogba’s
continued threats that if she didn’t
marry
him, he won’t leave her alone, she packed out to Ekrokpe Community
in Ughelli-South Council area.” After about three months, he found out
where I moved to and he came again, I chased him away but he continued
disturbing me until my landlady got tired and threatened to give me a
quit notice,”Paulina said. She continued,” “I continued to chase him
away any moment he came around and my landlady later joined me in
chasing him away, till he stopped.”
Fainted for 2 days, woke up in the hospital
“On August 27, 2010, I didn’t go to the market. I fasted and went for our
Wednesday prayers in my church (Church of God Mission). I prayed to God to chase away Ogba completely from my life.
I went to sleep early that evening as I had my plans for the next day. I wanted
to go to the market and sell and, on return, cook and eat my choice
soup (banga). But very early in the morning, August 28 , at 5a.m, I
heard a sharp knock on my door and the voice of a woman I knew. I was
shocked because she resides in Egini. I was wondering how she came to
Ekrokpe that early.
Immediately I opened the door, I was
poured something (acid) on my head and face I shouted for help and
fainted. I woke up two days later at UBTH to discover that Ogba was
the one who knocked on the door and poured me acid.” Ogba fled after
the incident.
Without stating it, it was obvious that
Paulina had gone through agonizing pains. She told Sunday Vanguard, “I
have gone through excruciating pains as I had to undergo three
different surgeries. Flesh was cut off from my lap to patch my head and
lip. My skull was operated because of the level of burnt when the
incident occurred. I weaved my head a night before but the acid that
soaked on my head burnt it. I saw death, but God did not allow me to
die. I cursed the day I met Ogba, I will never forgive him. I regret
meeting him and I am still baffled that he did this to me. He neither
drinks nor smokes, I am not
aware that he had or has mental problem; so, it is like a bad dream.
How I wish it is a dream. I can’t see, my eyes are almost blind, I need help, I want to see again, please, I need help.”
Battle to save a sister
Paulina’s elder
sister
and member of Deeper Life Bible Church, Mrs. Kate Agbavwe, who resides
at Okuokoko community, said, “I was at home on August 28 , 2010, when
early in the morning, our mother came to tell me that my sister was
bathed with acid by her lover and she was brought to Kokori. We rushed
back there and took her to hospital in Okpara Inland. The next day, she
was referred to UBTH.
“At UBTH, life was terrible for my sister as many never believed she
will survive, even some relatives’ advised that she be left to die. But
I stood with her. I had to borrow money to save
her life; I borrowed about N500,000 to buy drugs and blood. Things got
hard and I had to liaise with my family to sell our land at Kokori. We
were billed N665,000 for the bed, treatment and feeding for the one
year”
How Ogba was trapped and arrested
According
to Mrs. Agbavwe, “When the incident occurred, the landlady promptly
reported the incident at the Ekakpamre Police Station and the case was
forwarded to the Otu-Jeremi Divisional Headquarters. The police swung
into action and arrested two members of Ogba family, who were
eventually released on bail with a condition to look for the suspect in
two weeks.
”After a month, I came back from UBTH and a lady from Ogba family came as a spy to inquire if Paulina was dead or alive.
I sensed her mission and I told her that Paulina was alive and had
been discharged from hospital. The lady then said she was going to meet
their family to see how they could come for settlement.
The following day, the family came to my house
and I told them the truth that Paulina was in critical condition at
UBTH. On hearing my report, the family said they would come back again,
but they never did. Back at Egini, Ogba was planning to sell his house
so that he could flee from his hideout. The family told him that he
should come so that they would plan on how to settle the matter. Then,
they alerted the police who mobilised and laid ambush for him. He was
apprehended and taken away. Later, he was transferred to the state
Police Command in Asaba, but we heard that he is being remanded at the
Okere Minimum Prison in Warri.”
Save Our Soul
“We
are pleading with the government, non-government organisations, Niger
Delta Development Commission, Delta State Oil-Producing Areas
Development Commission and other public-spirit organisations and persons
to come to the rescue of our sister. We were told that corrective
surgery can help rescue my sister but the cost is too much for us….
![American Rapper, Gunna Arrives In Nigeria For Lagos Concert [Video]](https://media.kanyidaily.com/2024/12/21164103/Gunna-150x150.jpg "American Rapper, Gunna Arrives In Nigeria For Lagos Concert [Video] 4")
![Williams Uchemba Gifts Wife A Rolex Watch After Welcoming Their Second Child [Video]](https://media.kanyidaily.com/2024/12/21160810/Williams-Uchemba-wife-150x150.webp "Williams Uchemba Gifts Wife A Rolex Watch After Welcoming Their Second Child [Video] 6")
![Over 20 People Killed In Stampede At Rice Distribution Event In Okija, Anambra [Video]](https://media.kanyidaily.com/2024/12/21131654/Anambra-stampede-150x150.jpg "Over 20 People Killed In Stampede At Rice Distribution Event In Okija, Anambra [Video] 12")
![Jarvis Vows To Return Peller's Engagement Ring Over His Relationship With UK Lady [Video]](https://media.kanyidaily.com/2024/12/21094158/Peller-Jarvis-150x150.jpg "Jarvis Vows To Return Peller's Engagement Ring Over His Relationship With UK Lady [Video] 22")
Wow! Some people can't take no for an answer. I hope God will heal her.