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BENUE, Nigeria: Odege Iji, 64, continues to bear the crushing weight of guilt for not realising that the four young men who came into his house in the evening of April 15, 2023 were not messengers but rather a gang, hell-bent on wreaking havoc.
Despite being sick, Iji was subjected to intense physical violence by a mob that multiplied to over 30 men who savagely attacked him and demanded that he confess to practising witchcraft, and had passed his witchcraft to his daughter, Blessing. They claimed that Iji and Blessing had used witchcraft to kill Iji’s brother.
Despite a lack of comprehensive data on witchcraft accusations in Nigeria, media reports have revealed a disturbing frequency of such incidents across the country. In Akwa Ibom and Cross River, two states located in the south-south region, at least 15,000 children have been labelled witches/wizards. The term “Skolombo” has also been coined to refer to abandoned children who have been accused of practising witchcraft. A 2010 survey revealed that 85 percent of abandoned children in the region had faced accusations of witchcraft, which led to their abandonment.
However the practice of witch-hunting is not confined to those regions. In Oju Local Government Area of Benue state, north-central Nigeria, witchcraft accusations are met with mob violence and brutal treatment. One of such is the case of Blessing, Iji’s 13-year-old daughter, who was subjected to torture. Bound and forced to sit on scorching stones while being held inches from burning firewood, her accusers coerced her into falsely confessing to being a witch.
“I did not understand anything they were saying and the fire was already killing me. I just said yes to anything they said so they could spare my life,” Blessing recounts. In the wake of Iji and Blessing’s ordeal, the Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) stepped in to offer a lifeline of medical treatments, as well as pursuing justice on their behalf.
Taking a bold stance since January 2020, AfAW has been battling the unjust practice of witch-hunting. Operating with three approaches, the organisation’s efforts aim to enlighten the public on the dire consequences of witch-hunting; advocate for those who have been falsely accused; and work toward the implementation of legal and policy frameworks that will effectively combat the brutality associated with this practice.
The concept of black magic in African societies
Across Africa, the concept of witchcraft and black magic, also known as ‘Juju’ or ‘Voodoo’ are closely related. While Black magic is concerned with the use of supernatural forces for personal gain or harm, often with the assistance of a spiritual intermediary such as spirits, witchcraft has a more vague concept with interpretations differing widely between communities.
However, witch-hunting has been a rather recent practice in the Oju community, according to Chief Joel Egbodo, the ward head of the community. “It started about 4-5 years ago by indigenous people of this community who were brought up in another land. They would come back home after spending their lifetime elsewhere and would claim that a certain old man or woman in the village is responsible for their misfortunes,” he suggested.
He further explained that, before anyone can challenge these claims, young men in the community are swiftly mobilised, and the victim is subjected to brutal treatment. In some cases, the accused is buried alive or set ablaze. In other instances, the victim manages to escape with their life but are left with severe injuries.
This brutality, fuelled by superstition and fear, is a stain on the community’s collective conscience, Egbodo noted. “These attacks started with old people, suddenly it moved to [attacking] minors. Their claims are without proof or any form of evidence.”
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But if witch-hunting is a rather recent development in the community, why are security enforcers ignoring the brutality that comes with it?
The existing deep-seated belief system in most parts of Nigeria by most Nigerians that revolves around black magic and its various facets –which includes occultism and ritualism– it leads to reluctance on the part of security officials and law enforcement agencies to act against these crimes, as they are often seen as spiritual matters, not subject to the realm of logic or law.
AfAW intervenes
AfAW’s response strategy starts with case identification. Working closely with local community leaders such as Chief Egbodo, the organisation keeps a vigilant eye out for reports of witch-hunting incidents. Upon confirming a case, they spring into action providing a range of support tailored to the specific needs of the victim. Depending on the situation, they offer medical assistance, legal aid, financial support, or in certain extreme cases, full relocation of the victim to ensure their safety and well-being.
Blessing and Iji are part of the 47 individuals across Nigeria that AfAW has taken on the responsibility of addressing each with a combination of legal advocacy, medical support, and financial assistance.
‘I will solve it by continuously showing up’
The beginning phase of AfAW’s intervention prioritised a collaboration with law enforcement to ensure the victim’s safety, however, in a wider effort to address the scourge of witch-hunting, AfAW is working to shift public perception through various channels, including in-person outreach and social media campaigns due to the lasting stigma that comes with being wrongfully accused even after a case is closed.
However, this undertaking comes with significant challenges, as the organisation faces resistance from entrenched belief systems that are interwoven with cultural and religious norms.
“Many people have asked me how I think I can make any change [to a situation] that is rooted in the people’s belief system but my response is that I will solve it by continuously showing up,” Dr Leo Igwe, founder of AfAW said. “I will not stop. Even if the impact seems little, I will keep showing up until Africa hears my voice and understands that killing ourselves is not the solution to our problems.”
The community leaders of Oju are also taking measures to stop the witchcraft accusations, however, a major challenge persists as real perpetrators of these killings and inhuman treatment usually flee from the community and never return. This leaves the young men who were paid to carry out these acts to bear all of the punishment. “A good number of these young men are locked up in a cell and will remain there for a long time,” Egbodo noted.
“Our strategies have moved beyond advocating through the law,” Dooyum Dominic, the organisation’s director said. “We are currently incorporating building relationships with the communities through external projects, like building schools for them and other needed infrastructures. We believe that if we make them start seeing us as friends instead of the enemy who will always appear to arrest them, they would listen and be more accepting of our message.”
Credits
Editing: Zubaida Baba Ibrahim
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This story was published in partnership with Nigeria Health Watch through the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to rigorous and compelling reporting about responses to social problems. ___________________________________________________________
Chidera Eze is a freelance journalist with bias for solutions journalism, a blockchain content writer and a public relations student.