The Benue State Police Command has arrested two people from Konshisha Local Government Area (LGA) of the State, after youths from the area buried two old men alive over allegations of witchcraft.
Trouble started when youths from Konshisha reportedly buried two people alive for allegedly being behind a thunder strike that had affected his son, Henry Ihwakaa, wife and a two-week-old child.
It was gathered that about five days ago, when it was raining, thunder struck and killed Henry Ihwakaa, his wife and a few weeks old child.
Without reporting to the authorities, youths from the community accused the victim’s father, Mr Ihwakaa, of bewitching his son and his family with thunder. The source said the youths alleged that Mr Ihwakaa has been in the habit of bewitching people with thunderstorms in the area, any time it rains.
It was gathered, however, that on that fateful day, the youths mobilised and attacked Ihwakaa and one other person they alleged was his collaborator, and later dug a shallow grave and buried them alive.
A witness and elder in the community, Engr. Baba Agan, said the matter was reported to the police in Konshisha local government, where the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) mobilised his men to the scene of the incident. A source said by the time the police team arrived at the grave and exhumed their bodies, the two elders had already died of suffocation.
Benue State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident and said two suspects have been arrested and further investigation ongoing.
Anene said: “I heard it was one person that was buried alive. They said the deceased was a young man who had a wife and a child. Lightning killed three of them; the man, his wife and a two-week-old child. Maybe they were in the same room when the lightning struck.
“So the youths now said it was the elders who were bewitching people, that his father bewitched him with the lightning. So they carried him and buried him alive as a witch.”
The PPRO, who noted that the police had arrested two people in connection with the case, adding that the youths put up a serious fight with the police, to prevent their arrest.
Anene, who recalled that authorities, during a weather forecast, had said there would be a lot of thunderstorms this rainy season, noted that most people don’t listen to news, while some others are still illiterate and don’t understand science or the way things work.
The PPRO, who described the act as barbaric, cautioned members of the public against jungle justice and urged them to always report any case to the police for the right action and not take laws into their hands, saying, “We cannot continue to be living like animals, a barbaric way of life.”
