The civic organisations called on the Cross River State Police Command to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of the gang of murderers and described her barbaric killing as one too many.
The Citizens' Solution Network and Agba Jalingo Foundation for Investigative and Accountability Journalism have unequivocally condemned the brutal killing of Mrs Martina Okey Itagbor over allegations of witchcraft.
The civic organisations called on the Cross River State Police Command to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of the gang of murderers and described her barbaric killing as one too many.
SaharaReporters on Thursday reported that Mrs Itagbor, who was identified as a devoted Catholic was burnt to death after her assailants allegedly led by one Christopher Sunday, accused her of causing the death of two young men who died in a motor accident in the area.
Her murderers were identified as youths of Old Netim in the Akamkpa Local Government Area of the the state.
A gory video of the incident obtained by SaharaReporters shows the half-naked woman being burnt to death in the middle of a paved road by some youths who had gathered around.
Commenting on the unfortunate incident, the Citizens' Solution Network and Agba Jalingo Foundation for Investigative and Accountability Journalism in a joint statement issued on Friday, demanded justice for the late Mrs Itagbor and her family.
Titled ‘The Cross River State Police Command And A Call For Justice For Mrs Martina Okey Itagbor On Her Murderers,’ the organisation said that Itagbor shouldn't be executed extrajudicially by misguided bloodthirsty murderers without her soul getting justice from the state.
They stated that Itagbor's gang of murderers, allegedly led by one Christopher Sunday first chopped off her fingers before burning her to death, after accusing her of being a witch.
Insisting that Nigeria Police Force must arrest all members of the gang that took part in the murder of Itagbor, the organisations reminded the police to realise that "this primitive and unacceptable murder keeps occurring in the State because those who killed innocent women, who they don't like their faces in their local community went scot-free without any repercussions due to the visible refusal of the Cross River State Police Command to arrest, prosecute and ensure that those who take the lives of others get to face the full wrath of the law".
The statement also reads, "For this reason with the intention to prevent senseless and reprehensible killings in the future, we the organisations who are signatories to this press statement wish to call on the Nigeria Police Force to see that justice is served as we condemn the murder of Mrs Martina Okey Itagbor in the strongest terms.
"The Cross River State Police Command must deem it necessary to rise to the occasion to preempt further killings of old women who are defenceless in the face of hostility from unexpected quarters by ensuring that the murderers of Mrs Martina Okey Itagbor face the law and account for their brutal killing of her.
"Let it be in public registry, that it is the statutory responsibilities of the State and its Police Force to see that this primitive killing is brought to an end and the older and defenseless female population get protected from summary torture, humiliation and killings."
There have been similar barbaric killings in the state in recent times. For instance, on August 27, 2022, two widows who were also accused of being witches were lynched in Ebbaken community in the Boki Local Government Area of the state.
The victims were identified as Mrs Martina Osom and Mrs Rose Akon. were on Saturday, August 27, allegedly tortured to death by youths.
When contacted to ask what measures security operatives had taken to ensure the culprits were brought to justice, the state police spokesperson, Irene Ugbo, said the police commissioner had ordered a thorough investigation into the matter.
“Some names of the youths have been released and we are working to investigate if they are truly involved and the evidence against them,” the police spokesperson said.
Reacting to the allegation that Itagbor was killed in the presence of police officers who did nothing to avert the tragedy, she described the allegation as untrue.
She continued: “The allegation is not true. No policeman was there when they were carrying out their barbaric act. What they did is jungle justice and there is a punishment for that in law and no police will be watching them doing that.”