A 22-year-old student from Nigeria died on May 30 after she was attacked while she was in church, according to the Nigerian police.
Brutal attack
The victim, Uwaila Vera Omozuwa was brutally attacked while she was studying privately at the Redeemed Christian Church of God where she is also a member of the choir. According to the spokesman of the church, they are all devastated by her death.
The victim decided to do some private studies while the country was on lockdown because the church was peaceful. Omozuwa took the key from the parish pastor and she returns it after her studies.
However, on Saturday, the night guard found her half-naked and lying in the pool of her own blood in the church hall. The woman was taken to the hospital where the doctors tried to save her, but the university student died three days later.
Omozuwa's mother talked to Town Crier, a Nigerian media platform, and said that their neighbor was the one who told her of her daughter's death. She said she ran to the church but before she got there, the responders took her to a private hospital. The doctors who examined Omozuwa stated that she was raped.
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Situation that shook the country
The RCCG church is one of the largest denominations in Nigeria with hundreds of parishes. The church also has global branches in India, the USA, United Kingdom, South Africa, Canada, and Australia.
One of the most revered religious leaders in Nigeria, General Overseer Enoch Adeboye, issued a statement on May 31 about the rape and murder of Omozuwa.
Adeboye said that he and the members of his family condemn the act and he urged everyone to stay calm as they are looking into the matter and they are cooperating with the authorities so that they can establish the facts of the crime.
The death of Omozuwa sparked outrage online as Nigerian women voiced out their anger over the attack. On Twitter, the hashtag #justiceforuwa trended as thousands of citizens called for action against the murders.
Dr. Kemi, the founder of Women at Risk International Foundation or WARIF stated that the people must not look away as young girls and women endure horrific acts of sexual violence and rape.
The silence of the people has made them complicit and now is the time to speak up. WARIF is a non-profit organization founded in 2016 that is created to help survivors of gender-based and sexual violence.
Amnesty International Nigeria described the gruesome attack as rape even though authorities have not said if Omozuwa was raped. The human rights group has issued a statement calling the government out for a quick and strong response to the crime.
According to the statement that was posted on Twitter, Nigeria is still coming to terms with the violation in Jigawa state where 11 men were arrested for raping a 12-year-old girl at Limawa in Dutse. Rape is a crime that receives an inadequate response from the Nigerian government. They are now concerned that the perpetrators of the death of Omozuwa will escape punishment.
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