Crime
Calabar: Man kills mother, others for alleged witchcraft, another poisons twins
It is difficult to separate the facts from myths as they relate to witchcraft activities and practices in Cross River State.
In spite of the fact that after Badagry in the West, the next place Christianity berthed and took roots in Nigeria is Calabar yet, allusions to witchcraft activities and beliefs in related practices are still predominant in the people’s daily existence, giving credence to the fact that their mindset is steeped in primordial thoughts.
For instance, if a governor abandons a project or a programme, the general assumption is that he has been bewitched; if a young man over speeds, crashes his car and dies in the process, the conclusion would be that witches took hold of his mind; if a young girl aborts pregnancy and dies in the act, witches must be responsible and if a cat meows at night, then witches congregating.
Basically, nothing happens naturally in the state, be it death, sickness, poverty, sack from work or any calamity of sorts.
Most often, innocent people have been tagged witches and made to bear the brunt through various forms of punishment like being subjected to public flogging, being burnt to death, banished from the community, tied hands and legs and thrown into the river. You name it,
In the past one year, reports from all parts of the state indicate some brutal killings, attacks and dehumanization of so called witches. For example, One General Iron, a criminal warlord in Boki in the central part of the state lined several elderly men and women including his mother and cut them to death with machetes for being witches and wizards. In that same Boki, some months later, two widows returning from church were accosted by youths who accused them of being behind the frequent deaths of young people in the community. The women were bound hands and legs, tortured for several hours to death
The most recent was carried out in the outskirts of Calabar where five out of fifteen persons picked randomly by youths in Ndon Owong community in Odukpani Local Government Area were tagged witches, beaten to death with sticks and buried in shallow graves.
“Some weeks ago, Efa the father of the only lawyer in our village died in his sleep and a few days after the burial the lawyer also died and fingers point to witches being responsible and as God would have it Ekanma confessed and so the youths had no choice but to take action”
He said the community was constantly under attack from witches and the only way was to kill or do away with them
“ A young man will secure a job, soon after that he is sacked under questionable circumstances, a young person would graduate from school few months after that death takes him away, a man will drive his car to this village on his way back to his place of abode he is involved in an accident and dies all because of these wicked people you claim are being killed unjustly. Witches are the ones that are wicked, not the youths who are bringing peace to the community”
Before the recent incident, a man in this same Odukpani in Okurikang village took his twin daughters to the outskirts of the town and laced malt drink with poison, gave to them, killing the innocent girls. The reason for his action was that the twins were witches causing the hardship afflicting him.
A walk round Calabar depicts many children popularly called “Skolombo” roaming the streets and sleeping rough because they were thrown out of their homes by their parents and relatives who accused them of being witches and wizards.
Surprisingly, the witchcraft belief is not restricted to the less educated members of the society but also the well educated including pastors, lawyers, academics etc.
A lecturer in the University of Calabar Dr Ndim Eyo said witchcraft is not a myth but a reality which affects many people.
“I have been a victim of this wickedness. I graduated with PhD in Linguistics and all efforts to secure a job were to no avail.
During the era of Senator Imoke as governor my name was listed for appointment but overnight my name disappeared from the list when it was due for announcement. My mother had to do some findings only to discover that her younger sister was behind my predicament. We had to take some drastic measures before I got this teaching job. Witches do not like good things and anything that happens to them is brought by their wickedness”.
Chief Okon Ita, a village of Ikot Mesembe village said, most times when the youths carry out the action, the traditional rulers and elders of the community are helpless and any attempt to stop them, the youths turn their anger on them.
The police on it’s part says it has been doing it’s best to stem the spate of killings on witchcraft allegations across the state.
Ms Irene Ugbo, the Cross River Police Command spokesman said she several arrests are usually made and after investigations some are charged to court.
“Our duty is to arrest and charge to court after due investigation but what the court does is left to it. Some culprits have been sentenced to jail, others set free”.
Vanguard
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Anambra Police Command has debunked the allegation that it’s officers and men had hand in the mysterious death of one Mr Paul Onwualu at Npkor in Idemili North local government area.
The Police which confirmed the arrest of the suspect however explained that preliminary investigations has so far shown that there complications in the health status of the deceased leading to his demise .
SP Tochukwu Ikenga ,who is the Public Relations Officer of the Command stated in a release that ;
“The Anambra State Police Command wishes to inform the public that it has commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate death of the late Mr Paul Onwualu in Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State”
“Preliminary information available to the Command reveals that the officers allegedly involved in the arrest before the sudden complication of the deceased’s health, which later led to his death, have been identified, but are not operatives attached to the Anambra State Police Command”
“The Command assures Ndi Anambra and members of the public that the matter is being handled with the seriousness it deserves to ascertain the facts surrounding the unfortunate incident”
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu fwc mnips PhD, urges residents to remain calm and allow the ongoing investigation to run its course, while reaffirming the Command’s commitment to transparency, professionalism, and the protection of lives and property.” he said.
Neighbours reported that the event allegedly occurred around 3pm on Sunday, noting that the late Miss Amanda had been a victim of constant and ruthless maltreatment at the hands of her stepmother.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Enugu State, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, has expressed the state government’s anger over the incident, saying it would not relent until justice is done.
“It is on record that the Governor Peter Mbah Administration has zero tolerance for any form of child abuse, let alone child homicide. So, we swung into action on learning about this tragedy to ensure that the suspect was arrested.
“But it doesn’t end there. We will be pressing for thorough and expedited investigation to ensure that justice is not just done, but done really fast.
“Nobody should take another’s life and certainly not the life of any child in Enugu State. We condemn it in totality,” she stated.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
As suspected fake native doctors continue to face the long arm of the law in Anambra State, the government has now commenced a crackdown on alleged fake pastors who preach salvation without the gospel.
Already, scores of suspected fake pastors are reportedly in custody, with some said to have confessed to deceiving unsuspecting members of the public.
Governor Charles Soludo disclosed this during this year’s All Knights Day celebration held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral.
In a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Aburime, the governor said:
“The Governor also revealed an ongoing crackdown on fake pastors who exploit the vulnerable by preaching a gospel of ‘salvation without the cross,’ confirming that several are already in custody and confessing.”
He emphasized that a “New Anambra” is emerging and must be rid of deception and criminality, while reinforcing the church’s teaching that hard work remains the pathway to success.
The statement further read:
“In a firm demonstration of fiscal discipline, Governor Soludo granted a request from the Knights to support their charity visits to orphanages but declined a request for public funds to sew uniforms, stating he would not deploy state resources for private institutional regalia.”
The governor also urged the Knights to remain “the light of the world and the salt of the earth” by living according to principles rather than titles.
The event featured a Pontifical Mass celebrated by the Catholic Bishop of Awka, Paulinus Ezeokafor, while the homily was delivered by the Diocesan Secretary, Rev. Fr. Evaristus Iheanacho.
In his sermon, Iheanacho reflected on the work of the Holy Spirit, describing knighthood as a process of “sober reflection, stock-taking, and reckoning” guided by strict tenets and discipline.
He reminded the Knights that true love for Christ is demonstrated through obedience to His commandments, discipline, humility, and courage.
The cleric also cautioned against elitist isolation, urging the Knights to remain connected with the people and preserve their human face and prophetic voice within the community.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The Violent Crime Response Unit of the Anambra State Police Command has uncovered and destroyed an armoury belonging to suspected separatist gunmen at Owerre-Ezukala in Orumba South Local Government Area.
The operation, led by Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Orebe Chidubem Matthew, followed intelligence obtained from a member of the gang currently in police custody.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the police disclosed that the camp had previously been dislodged by a Joint Task Force on security operations. However, some members of the gang who escaped during the earlier raid reportedly regrouped and attempted to resume operations.
According to the statement, items recovered from the armoury include one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) with about 2,000 rounds of live chain ammunition, two fabricated rocket launchers with 25 propellers, 10 locally-made Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), one locally-made Beretta pistol, two pump-action guns, three hand grenades, 10 rounds of K2 live ammunition, one gas cylinder, and one black Ecolac box.
“Recall that the camp was earlier destroyed by a Joint Security Team. Before the confession by the suspect in custody, intelligence had been received over time on how some escaped gang members were attempting to regroup. However, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit resisted and dismantled the camp following a gun duel with the unrepentant members,” the statement read.
The police further stated that some of the armed suspects fled the scene with varying degrees of bullet injuries sustained during the exchange of gunfire.
Further investigations revealed that the suspect in custody confessed to involvement in several violent attacks across Anambra State, including attacks on police facilities, the killing of security personnel comprising police, military, and civil defence officers, attacks on government facilities, and the murder of security operatives on stop-and-search duties on various roads in the state.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, noted that with the establishment of the Violent Crime Response Unit, operatives of the command are now better positioned and more motivated to sustain offensive operations against criminal elements threatening the peace and security of the state.
The Enugu State House of Assembly has ordered the immediate suspension of the salary of Dr. Kate Okolo, a staff member of the Enugu State College of Education, over her alleged involvement in a controversial land deal.
The directive was issued on Tuesday in Enugu by the Chairman of the House Special Committee on Land Conflicts, Mr. Okey Mbah, as part of an ongoing investigation into a decade-long land fraud.
Mbah emphasized that the suspension is not a witch-hunt but a clear signal that the era of impunity in land administration in the state is over.
The committee, currently probing petitions from staff of the institution and members of the public, accused key figures in the Women in College of Education Organisation (WICE) of engaging in land racketeering and fraudulent sales.
According to petitioners, the scheme—introduced between 2009 and 2011 under the leadership of the late Mrs. Ugoma Ndubisi and Dr. Okolo—encouraged individuals to market plots of land known as “WICE Land” to colleagues, friends, and family members.
One victim, who pleaded anonymity, told lawmakers they invested in the scheme because it was presented as a credible internal arrangement.
“We paid in full and have receipts, but for over 13 years, we have not been allocated any land,” the petitioner said.
Testimonies further revealed that the situation worsened following the death of Mrs. Ndubisi, with allegations that Dr. Okolo altered the original terms of the transactions.
“She changed the name from Ukano to Ukano Bold, increased the prices, reduced plot sizes, and claimed that many of us did not pay.
“We are now being asked to pay again for land we already purchased.
“All we want is either our land or our money back,” another petitioner stated.
In response, Mbah assured the petitioners that the Assembly remains committed to ensuring justice.
“We have listened to your grievances, and this committee will see this matter through to a logical conclusion.
“No one found culpable will be shielded,” he said.
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