Anti-FGM activist, Emofoye Efe escapes being lynched in Delta community

A gender activist, Mr Emofoye Efe  escaped death by the whisker when some Ekpan community youths in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State almost lynched him over his stand against the persisting practice of female genital mutilation, (FGM) in the community by attacking him with sticks and knife over his call for the abolishment of the female genital mutilation.

He had sustained his advocacy against FMG since 2016 following the death of a young pregnant woman as a result of complication during the circumcision she was made to undergo in her second trimester of pregnancy and he was warned by the community leaders to stop the advocacy which they say is against their culture.

However, the current trouble started on 18th February, 2018 when the activist Emofoye Efe organized some young women and girls to sensitize and educate them on the danger associated with female circumcision, but some youths saw his efforts as an attempt to debase the culture and tradition of the Urhobos in Ekpan and launched attack on him.

The women and girls were brutalized, some chased to their homes, in the heat of commotion generated by the unprovoked attack on people organizing themselves legally, some of the community youths stepped in, which led to a free for all fight with the use of dangerous objects.

The community youths allegedly loyal to the community chief priest (names withheld) took advantage of the lingering communal crisis at Ekpan which has escalated following to the deaths of many youths, re-launched another attack on Mr Emofoye Efe, he was however lucky to have escaped with matchet cuts as he was left in the pool of his blood, to bleed to death.

He was however rescued by family members, and on discovery that he didn’t die, the youth launched a man-hunt on him, a move our reporter gathered made him to flee the state and the Niger Delta region which has similar practice.

The Urhobo nation according to ADVOCATE investigation practice FGM because they believe it curbs promiscuity in women and that Circumcision ushers a female into womanhood and forms part of her marriage rites in Delta State.

We also gathered that some vested interest amongst the traditional custodian of the community have recruited hitmen to hunt  Mr. Emofoye Efe following the death of the relatives, and as usual with the Ekpan community crisis, the police and other security agencies are indifferent to the threat to lives of defenseless civilian.

Unable to get him, they youths started harassing his wife, Mrs Emofoye Patricia and had different times received calls from unknown persons asking her to dissaude her husband on his stance.