A toddler, Msurshima Iorshie s currently battling to survive after the recent Fulani herders rampage in Benue community.
The 2-year-old girl was reportedly shot in her vagina when the herdsmen raided Tior-tyu, a community in Tarka Local Government Area of Benue on Monday this week.
More than 10 people died in the attack, while several others sustained varying degrees of injury, ranging from machete wounds to gunshot wounds.
The little girl happens to be amongst those that got wounded and is currently receiving at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi, the state capital.
Speaking to Vanguard News, the mother of Msurshima, Faith Iorshie said she left the little girl with her husband’s father so that she and her husband could go and farm in a neighbouring village.
“l left Msurshima in custody of her grandfather, that is my husband’s father, and went to farm with my husband in a neighbouring community where we spend few days in the farm because we have a small residence in the farm,” the 25-year-old mother narrated.
“At the farm we were alerted that night that armed herdsmen were moving towards our community. We ran back only to discover that they had already attacked our village. They were said to be chasing and shooting at anybody they saw,” she added as she couldn’t hold back her tears.
“My grandfather had made attempt to escape with my daughter and others but he was shot dead. My daughter that he tried to escape with was also shot her on her vagina.
“After the armed herders retreated, one of my brothers who went in search of our family members saw her where she laid motionless looking as if she was dead but it was discovered that she was still breathing. But at that time our grandfather was already dead.
“We hurriedly carried her to a hospital in Wannune, the Local Government Headquarter for treatment. They revived her and we were immediately transferred to the Teaching Hospital on the orders of the state government for better treatment.”
The devastated mother who could not hold back tears said “we have never had anything to do with Fulani herders. They came from Guma area where they have been attacking and killing people. They came shooting our people and chasing us away from our ancestral homes.
“I do not know the sin my innocent daughter committed that they shot her like an animal. We thank God that she is still alive but we do not know what becomes of her given where she was shot. I’m begging people to come and help me because I do not know what to do with her condition.”
According to the head of the children’s unit of the BSUTH who spoke under condition of anonymity, the baby is stable, but added that correctional surgery must be done.
“It is a miracle that the little girl is still alive, but we must commend Governor Samuel Ortom for ordering immediate evacuation of all the injured to the BSUTH where they are receiving expert attention which has contributed to the survival of the seriously injured victims,” he said.
