Youths from Mbaaku Mbasombo in Gwer East local government area of Benue State have mobbed two elderly men to death over alleged killing of a young boy through witchcraft
The mobbed victims: Kwaghange Ugbu and Atuur Shaaja, were reportedly dragged with a rope around the village and subsequently beaten to death.
According to a native of the community who did not want to be mentioned, the incident happened on Friday, September 28, 2022.
Explaining further, he said what triggered the accusation was the sudden death of one David Nongobo, a native of Mbaaku Mbasombo, who slumped while working on the farm.
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He added that the young boy, who recently completed his secondary education, was rushed to the village health care centre where he was confirmed dead.
“As soon as the news of the young person broke in the village, some youths mobilised themselves to the home of the two elderly men; Ugbu and Shaaja, who were relatives of the deceased and accused them of killing him through witchcraft.
“And that was how they started beating and cutting the two elderly men with cutlasses and axes.
“They even tied a rope around their necks and dragged them until they died. The accused deceased were screaming in their Tiv dialect that they don’t have a hand in the young man’s death but the mob didn’t listen to them.
“Despite intervention and plea from family members of the tortured victims including their children, the youths resisted and they ensured that the elderly men were stoned death.
When contacted, the Benue State Police Command Spokesperson, Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident and said that the suspects were currently on the run.
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The PPRO said:
“That incident is confirmed. The suspects are on the run. The boy died mysteriously in the farm so some youths said it was his father and the uncle that killed him through witchcrafts.
“They now beat up those two men untill they died alleging that they killed the boy through witchcrafts.
“It has become an issue in Benue State that they need to be enlightened. In the villages, those things happen and we have been talking to them and charged so many to court.
“In fact, I’m trying to do a programme about that on radio and television so that they will get to know more that there is room for investigating such cases and establishing the cause of death not for them to just assume that it’s witchcraft.
“There are lots of factors which could lead to deaths; we have such cases (witchcraft allegations) parading in court.”
