By Leo Igwe
Witchcraft is a form of death sentence, and a matter of life and death. In witch persecution, every second matters, every minute counts, as illustrated in the case of August Uwagwu from Agbor in Delta state in Southern Nigeria. Augustine lives in the Aliren quarters in the Alisimie community in Agbor. His son, who was taking an examination in Asaba, about 65 kilometres from Agbor, called the Advocacy for Alleged Witches and reported the case of Mr Uwagwu. The son needed urgent help for the father. Some community members accused Augustine of being responsible for the death of someone who died in the village. The mob came and dragged him to the Obi’s palace, where they planned to firm up the plan to take him to a local shrine.
At the shrine, the native doctor would confirm if he caused the death of the community member. Uwagwu informed the son, who contacted AfAW asking for help. On hearing the news, we reached out to Mr Uwagwu. He was at the palace of the Obi. His voice was shaking. And there was some noise in the background. He confirmed the plan to take him to a traditional priest. I asked to speak with the Obi or his secretary. But he said that the secretary was busy. He asked someone at the palace to talk to me. The person explained that Uwagwu was accused of witchcraft. They were planning to take him to a place to find out if he was guilty or not. He did not provide details. Augustine said that they asked him to pay eighty thousand naira for the process, but he begged them to accept fifty thousand naira from him.
I asked him to tell them to provide me with an account number where I could pay the money. I did not plan to pay any money. I was only using it to buy time while we waited for some police or lawful intervention. Mr Uwagwu later sent me the account number of one Eluma Friday, whom I believed was among those facilitating the trip to a native doctor.
Meanwhile, I reached out to advocates in Delta state who joined in contacting the palace of His Highness. I phoned the Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO) in Delta state, but he did not pick up the call. I called the control room, and they insisted the accused must petition the police before they could intervene. I called the PPRO Zone 5, and he asked me to reach out to the state PPRO, the area commander, and the DPO of Agbor. I called and spoke with the area commander and the DPO, urging them to pressure his highness not to allow the trial by ordeal.
The DPO told me to ask the accused to leave the palace and come to the station. But I told him they could mob the accused if he tried to flee the palace. I urged him to contact the palace and persuade his highness. The DPO said he would try to do so and then get back to me.
While this was going on, Mr Uwagwu’s son decided to defer his examination. He traveled down to the palace to rescue the father and stop the mob from subjecting Mr Uwagwu to trial by ordeal. AfAW supported him and another advocate with some funds to travel or get some people to go to the palace and rally support for the accused. Meanwhile, an advocate who contacted the DPO messaged:
“The DPO is currently on the phone with palace officers, and he has warned that trial by ordeal is criminal”. It was exciting news.
Later in the day, we received the news that the palace caved in to pressure from the mob and Mr Uwagwu was taken to a ‘native doctor’ in Owa Alero. And the ‘native’ doctor, after consulting the ‘oracle’, confirmed that Uwagwu was responsible for the death. On returning to the community, the mob invaded the compound and destroyed the property. Uwagwu’s son took him to the DPO in Agbor, where he made a statement. Uwagwu identified his accusers as Monday Ogbe, Jacob Odabi, Sunday Obiazi, Ameachi Obiazi, Ngozi Obiazi, and Ebeye Nwamaka. The divisional police office requested the sum of two hundred thousand naira before they could intervene and arrest suspects. But after much pleading, the police accepted fifty thousand naira. The complainant’s son advanced 10 thousand naira.
AfAW urges the police to ensure the safety of Mr Uwagwu and his family. The police should arrest and prosecute those involved in the accusation and persecution of Uwagwu including the ‘native doctor’ who upheld the accusation, and palace officers who facilitated the trial by ordeal. Witchcraft accusation is against the law. Nigerians should abandon the belief that people can harm or kill others through witchcraft. Such beliefs are baseless and mistaken. Nigerians who want to ascertain the cause of death or diseases should consult medical, not ‘native’ doctors. Nigerians should stop wasting their time and money going to ‘oracles’ to ascertain the cause of accidents, and other misfortunes. Traditional priests who preside over these oracles are charlatans and medical illiterates who do not know about human biology or pathology.
Taking accused persons to shrines and oracles to determine the cause of death is a form of trial by ordeal and a criminal offence.
Those who enabled the accusation and abuse of Mr Augustine Uwagwu should be made to answer for their crimes. Nigerians should abandon superstition and embrace science. Nigerians should reject jungle justice and uphold the rule of law.
Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches
