Gunmen invade Ogun farm, abduct girl to enforce female circumcision ritual

It was an unusual day at the Twinneys Farm Settlement in Ashipa, Owode Local Government as gunmen entered the serene farm with gun booming from their rifles and other hand held shot gun. It was a quick, well coordinated attacked and could not have lasted more than 10 minutes.

According to a reliable source in the farm, they made away with a girl who was identified by one of the attackers during the quick attack they were simply shouting “the girl” Emmanuella which means she was the reason for the invasion.
The source further told reporter that Emmanuella was put on a bike and left.

Immediately, after Emmanuella was whisked away, the village local securities were alerted and they went after the kidnappers in about 3 hours, Emmanuella Fawale was rescued after a serious exchange of gun.

After her rescue, the source confirmed that elders in the farm village invited Emmanuella's mother to investigate her for she was the reason for invading their community as this was a strange occurrence.
Our source present at the meeting said Emmanuella is in a web of archaic, outdated custom and tradition known as circumcision.

He said the mother informed the village elders that her in-laws were bent on circumcising her only female child, much after she has pleaded with them to spare her and have mercy on her only female child.

Mrs. Fawale told the elders that she ran to Ashipa with her 3 kids (Emmanuella, Alexander and Nathan) so as to make the farm a hideout and place of her survival.

According to another source in the village, Adejoke told the elders that the pressure from her in-laws became unbearable. To make matter worse her husband who should shield her daughter was also in support of this torturous demeaning tradition. She said her husband believed that circumcision was necessary, a rite of passage, a way to purify a girl and prepare her for womanhood.

She added that, on the day she decided to run away from home was when her sister in-law said that they all went through it and she (Emmanuella) too must go through it. This shows that Fawale family will go to any length to circumcise the little girl.

The police have been involved and investigation is already going on as the police spokesperson confirmed the incident at the time of filling this report.

The question is why should girls go through the knife in our part of the world?