A statement issued by the advocacy group on Friday, which was signed by its Director Dr Leo Igwe, expressed concerns over the growing wave of allegations of diseases and deaths caused by witchcraft and magic.
The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) has condemned the alleged banishment of a man for being responsible for mysterious deaths in his family and community in Enugu state, Southeast Nigeria.
A statement issued by the advocacy group on Friday, which was signed by its Director Dr Leo Igwe, expressed concerns over the growing wave of allegations of diseases and deaths caused by witchcraft and magic.
According to the statement titled "Mysterious" Deaths, Occult Harm and Banishment from Communities," a man identified as Uwakwe Ugwuanyi was accused of causing the death of over five people and was banished for life from Umuela village, Ibagwa-Aka community in Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The statement quoted a post on a Facebook page that reads, "On Tuesday, January 3, 2022, the villagers who sang mourning songs, carried palm fronds as well as a mock coffin to the doorstep of Uwakwe".
Before this development, allegations of occult harm have been levelled against him: "when people died in the family, the suspect always volunteered to go to the diviners for fact-finding. Upon his return, he would always inform the villagers that his late elder brother was responsible for the deaths. But things seemed to have gotten out of hand when another youth died in the family during the last Yuletide season".
This development according to the report forced the youths of the village to go to another diviner to ascertain the cause of death.
The statement said, "The diviner indicted Uwakwe, and the villagers decided to banish him. The post contains photos of some youths with palm fronds and a mock coffin marching on the streets. This post elicited comments from a cross-section of Nigerians. Most of the comments were in support of the allegation and the maltreatment of Uwakwe Ugwuanyi.”
Chikwadoro Emmanuel, a pastor from the Greater Liberation City said, "You banished him, but he will still operate from anywhere he is. Witchcraft is not a physical battle. Exodus 22:18 gave the remedy to it. You have endangered the community life by just banishing him. He will do worst to you."
Another person stated: "And he will move to the state closer to him and continue his wickedness...abeg oo".
Somebody said the man should be stoned: "And instead of stoning him, they are sending him to open another branch elsewhere in a way of so-called banishing him". In the same vein, somebody thought that banishment was not enough. For this person, Uwakwe should have received a more severe punishment.
The person said: "How do you let such a person live??? Market thieves get jungle justice and these types of people are set free all in the name of banishing. One who sleeps with his daughter gets banished, one who sleeps with another man's wife gets banished also and one who's taken lots of lives gets the same punishment, banish. That's injustice."
Although not all who commented were in support of the accusation and banishment. Some persons were sceptical of the allegations, the AfAW stated. For instance, somebody said: "How do they know that he was responsible for their death? This mindset of the 4th century must stop in this black world if we want to move with the rest of the civilized world. Their act is barbaric and it is repugnant to natural justice, equity, and good conscience. I'm calling for police to arrest this mob who disguised under barbaric custom to inflict sorrow on an innocent man."
Another person said: "Jungle justice! It's a pity that this kinda primitive practice still happens! What tangible evidence do they have to prove he killed those people besides their unguided superstitious insinuations? It's wrong to take laws into your hands!"
Describing the allegations of causing diseases and deaths through witchcraft and magic as gravelly disturbing, AfAW lamented that some charlatans or self-styled diviners certify "these imputations of occult harm and guilt".
The statement says, "Many Nigerians believe them without a doubt. Subsequently, suspects are subjected to trial by ordeal, jungle justice, or as in this case, banishment.
"The AfAW declares that there is no evidence that people can cause diseases or death through occult means. Such claims lack any basis in reason, science, or in reality.
"Local diviners, including pastors and alfas who certify these allegations, are con artists with no knowledge and expertise in medicine and in ascertaining the cause of death and diseases. They use all sorts of tricks and pretensions to deceive, manipulate and get people to part with their money.
"In absence of a virile health infrastructure and state police presence, deaths and diseases with commonsensical explanations are regarded as mysterious and as instances of witchcraft. These medical impostors are consulted and their verdicts are believed and accepted as facts. Vigilante groups operate with impunity. They have become enforcers of witchcraft verdicts in the communities.
"This trend must change. The police must rise to their duties of protecting citizens and maintaining law and order in the country. Nigerians must realize that allegations of witchcraft and occult harm are against the law and banishment is a form of human rights abuse that should not be tolerated in the communities."