An acid attack victim, Iniubong Ime, has disclosed that he has forgiven
his 20-year-old girlfriend, Lucy Daniel, who poured an acid on him.
According to the 24-year-old Ime, Lucy can go ahead and marry anybody she wants as his relationship with her has ended.
Here are excerpts from his interview with Daily Trust;
Daily Trust: How was your relationship with ex-girlfriend Lucy like?
Iniubong Ime: We dated for about a year and I discovered she is a
troublesome person. She was causing trouble between me and my mother, my
siblings and my friends, she caused trouble between me and everyone
close to me, and succeeded in driving people away from me. So I
decided to quit. She initially left but later
started coming back, pleading that I should accommodate her, and that
she wasn’t working and didn’t have anywhere to stay. Rather than
accommodate her, I got her a job and also rented an apartment for her.
Thereafter, I told her that I had gone beyond my ability and she could
continue her life from there. I pleaded with her to understand that we
could no longer date. That was last year. She relaxed for a while and
this year, she started coming around again. She would come at ungodly
hours, so I told her that I didn’t welcome such visits and whenever she
came around I would send her back.
DT: How did she take it?
Ime: Of course, not peacefully. Even when she wasn’t coming around, she
was always monitoring my movement and I knew it. But I didn’t bother
because I had nothing to do with her anymore. Sometimes, when she spots
me with anyone, male or female, she wouldn’t care to know who the person
was and would just begin to insult them.
DT: How did the acid attack happen?
Ime: On Monday, March 6, 2017, I went to bed early but was woken up by a
sound outside my door at about midnight. When I woke up I saw that my
window net had been torn and I decided to find out who was at the door.
When I opened the door, I saw it was Lucy, and before I could say
anything she splashed the acid on me and ran away. I was in serious
pain, and the burns on my body are severe. The only thing I could do at
that point was to rush to a bucket of water which I usually kept in my
room and poured it on myself with the hope that it would ease the pain. I
then began shouting for help and people started coming out, including
my siblings who were in the next apartment. They brought me to the
hospital.
DT: After the incident, what was the reaction of her family?
Ime: Her mother was very angry. She is still not feeling well because
she is hypertensive, so I can understand with her. She called me and
said she would have nothing to do with Lucy henceforth. I was even told
that the mother made efforts and apprehended her, took her to a local
government chairman and was to be handed over to the police the next
day. I don’t know what the chairman did and Lucy escaped from his
custody. She’s still at large.
My aunt has since reported to the police. But our major concern now is
for me to recover. My treatment bills are being footed by my family and
friends and it has not been easy. You know that injuries of this
magnitude need a lot of care and money. So, I will appreciate if
government at any level, interest groups and kind-hearted individuals
can come to my aid so that I can recover.
DT: When you recover, will you seek vengeance?
Ime: That wouldn’t solve anything. I have decided to let it go and
forgive her. In fact, I forgave her from the very day it happened. I
thank God I’m still alive. I won’t take her back because I had long
broken up with her before the incident. But I can relate normally with
her. I have no hard feelings towards her. We won’t be lovers again, but
she won’t be my enemy either.
DT: Did you at any point promise to marry her?
Ime: Not at all. I don’t make promises I cannot fulfill. I only told her
that if we were meant for each other, destiny would bring us together. I
however advised her that if she saw any other suitor, she could go
ahead and marry him.