Posted by Vanguard on
MEN of the Edo State Police Command, weekend, stormed four communities in the state and arrested three persons over their alleged involvement in illegal acts of threat to life and forceful female circumcision in violation of the law passed last year by the State House of Assembly.
BENIN CITY - MEN of the Edo State Police Command, weekend, stormed four communities in the state and arrested three persons over their alleged involvement in illegal acts of threat to life and forceful female circumcision in violation of the law passed last year by the State House of Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Police Command yesterday confirmed the receipt of a protest letter from a Non-Governmental Oganisation (NGO) on the disappearance of over 10 women from their homes and communities over alleged fear of harassment and death threat received for failing to agree to female circumcision.
Vanguard gathered that the raid on the four communities of Oredo and Ikpoba Okha Local Government Councils of the state followed rising complaints by some women and families on the kidnap of their children by family members in order to force them to agree to female circumcision.
It was gathered that the operatives of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had in the last few months put under surveillance some of the communities identified and the operators of such homes and those involved were arrested.
Vanguard learnt that the centre invaded were discovered to have over the years refused to stop the practice campaigned against by the State's First Lady, Mrs Eki Igbinedion.
A senior Police source at the State Police Command said the decision to swoop on the identified centres was taken to put a stop to the petition written to the command by women who felt the attempt by the family to force them to participate in the act was illegal, "we have observed from the various complaints made to the command that these centres exist after the law was passed. And the way and manner they operate has become alarming and threatening. We discover that some women run away from home due to some of these centres."