Msurshima Iorshie, a two-year-old girl, is fighting for her life at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, after being shot in the vagina by Fulani herdsmen who stormed Tiortyu village in the state’s Tarka Local Government Area.
The incident, which took place on Monday, April 11, claimed the lives of 15 people, including women and children, while others were injured by machete cuts and gunshot wounds.
Mrs. Faith Iorshie, the child’s 25-year-old mother, told Vanguard that her daughter was in the custody of her grandpa when the armed herders raided the town.
“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.
“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.
“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.” She said.
“We’ve never had anything to do with Fulani herdsmen,” the distraught mother, who couldn’t hold back her tears, added.
“They arrived from the Guma region, where they were assaulting and killing people. They shot our people and chased us out of 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.” She said.
The two-year-old child was responding to therapy, according to a member of the pediatric ward’s staff who spoke on the condition of anonymity, although she will need vaginal corrective surgery.
