40-year-old man has been arrested by the Benue State police command for allegedly raping an eight-month-old pregnant woman.

The motorcyclist popularly known as okada rider, identified as Akpo Igwe, raped the 25-year-old woman at Irabi Council Ward of Obi Local Government Area of the state.

The family source who spoke on the condition of anonymity said: “The incident happened last Wednesday at about 7:00 pm when the woman was returning from the market. She flagged down an okada man and bargained with him to take her home.

“So on their way home, the okada man diverted from the main road to a nearby bush, held her down, and raped her.

“In the process, the woman passed out and the bike man, thinking that the woman had died, dragged her and dumped her by a river bank where she lay till the following day.

“In the morning, she woke up and discovered herself in a state of subconsciousness. She was too weak to stand and so she just laid there praying for help.

“When we found her in that state we quickly rushed her to the hospital while the matter was also reported at the nearest police station leading to the arrest of the culprit,” the family source said.

The case has been transferred to the police headquarters in Makurdi where the suspect is cooling off.