The Absu Rape Case…… 2years Later

Remember this video clip? It made the headlines in 2011 about a female student of Abia State University who was allegedly gang raped by a group of 5 boys from same school? I know you do.

Practically every news channel and blog then featured the story except me ofcourse because I was just a mere reader then and not yet enmeshed in the blog circus.  What drew my attention wasn’t the rape itself but the fact that it happened in my very own alma mater, chai!

Unbelievable, I muttered to myself then;  I thought of all the people I had met and were friends with while Absu, all the faces I saw every morning on the walkways and knew by heart, faces I still pick out on the streets of Lagos till today, faces I walk up to often and tell them “ You were in Absu” and watch the thrill on their faces.

Absu wasn’t small per say, but I could remember most of the faces I saw either at Kpu-kpus, Upgate or Cashew 101 lectures and I couldn’t fathom any of them being involved in that sorry act. It was disappointing to think morals had deteriorated to that level since I left and I wondered what went wrong.

Now you can imagine my delight when I read a piece that the rape incident never occurred   in Absu, neither were Absu students involved, thrilling I must say,  but what actually happened? Thanks to YNaija, the incident happened in Obite Town, Etche LGA in Rivers State. The victim in question is said to be a pregnant lady who was gang-raped by her inlaws, anyway, here’s a YNaija link so you can read the details yourself.

What lessons can be deduced from this? People are hungry for stories good or bad, when any bit of news filters into the internet, people latch on to it, improvising their versions, creating distortions and thereby making it difficult to ascertain the truth.

I’m definitely not dissociating myself from this malaise because I’ve sure had my moments too, more reason why I avoid trending news as often as I can. But it would sure help if people would reduce the bandwagon fever and allow the proper channels handle issues like this, that way, you save yourself a lot of embarrassment .