The deceased woman, identified as Madam Martina Okey Itagbor, was accused of being a witch and causing the death of two young men in a motor accident.
The identities of some youths who allegedly masterminded and carried out the burning of a woman to death in Cross River State, South-South Nigeria, have been revealed.
The deceased woman, identified as Madam Martina Okey Itagbor, was accused of being a witch and causing the death of two young men in a motor accident.
She was subsequently brutally murdered by youths of Old Netim in the Akamkpa Local Government Area of the state.
Mrs Itagbor has been identified as a member of the Catholic Women’s Organisation (CWO).
A journalist and activist, Agba Jalingo alleged that Mrs Itagbor was killed by 14 youths led by Christopher Sunday Mbey after another woman at CWO, accused her of killing her two sons who died in a fatal accident.
Jalingo said Christopher Sunday and at least 13 other youths brutally murdered Martina in front of the village Catholic church while a CWO meeting was taking place inside.
The Jalingo said, “They were inside the church watching while the youths burnt one of their members to ashes.”
He continued: “One of Mrs. Martina's daughters, who is also a member of the CWO, was inside the church too while her mother was burning in the fire. She wasn't allowed to come out to do anything to help the hapless mum.
“Members of the CWO have visited the mothers of the two boys who died in the car crash to condole with them. But they have refused to visit the family of late Mrs. Martina Itagbor, to condole with them. They have also refused to condemn the action of the community youths. And her daughter who watched her mother burn to death has been facing threats from the youths since the incident happened.”
He added that the body language of the members of CWO and their reaction to the gruesome killings of Itagbor showed that they considered the allegation of witchcraft and the killing of two young boys levelled against her to be true.
“By their actions, are members of the CWO in Old Netim, Akamkpa, accepting the verdict of the youths that one of their own was a witch and deserves to die gruesomely or are they afraid of their murderous children?” he added.
Jalingo identified the alleged killers as Christopher Sunday Mbey (Leader); Festus Etim Umoh (Dep. Leader); Emem Etim Umoh; Enearokot Omonga Peter; Stephen aka Pompori; Obaji; Destiny Ime Brown; Joseph Omonga Orok; Eyu Adogo; Louis Bassey Peter; Orok Okon Orok; Mesembe Anembe; Malachi Sylvanus and Thelfa Okon Nyong.
Also, a lawyer, James Ibor, who exposed the barbaric incident on his Facebook page, has been calling for justice for the deceased using #Justice4MartinaItagbor.
On Friday, he also identified Christopher Sunday as one of this who killed the woman.
“This is Christopher Sunday Mbey.
“He is from Old Netim in Akamkpa LGA in Cross River State. He is the political thug who led the youths that chopped off the fingers of Mrs Martina Okey Itagbor, and burnt her to death after accusing her of witchcraft.
“The Nigeria Police Force must look for this thug and bring him and his cohorts to book,” he posted online.
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.
On his Facebook page on Wednesday, Ibor wrote, “Madam Martina Okey Itagbor was accused of witchcraft and burnt to death by the Youths of Old Netim in Akamkpa LGA, Cross River State, Nigeria.
“This was after a fatal motor accident claimed the lives of two young men. Sadly, the Police stood by while the helpless poor woman burn. The suspects are walking free.
“Witchcraft branding is a crime. The belief in witches and their power to cause harm is backward and primitive. I call on the Police to bring these suspects to Justice. No witches, No Wizards.”
“The video is too gory, heartless and horrible. If I post it here, Facebook will block me,” he added in another post on Thursday.
When contacted to ask what measures security operatives had taken to ensure the culprits did not go scot-free, the state police spokesperson, Irene Ugbo, said the state 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 a jungle justice and there is a punishment for that in law and no police will be watching them doing that.”
