Stop Hassan Patigi’s Abusive Healing and Witch-hunting Activities in Mokwa, Niger State

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AFAW) urges the government of Niger state to immediately prevail on the traditional ruler of Mokwa, the Ndalile of Mokwa, Shaba Aliyu Mohammed, and stop the bogus and abusive healing practices of Mallam Hasan Patigi in the area. At this moment, it is important to impress on the Ndalile of Mokwa that his continued support and endorsement of Hassan Patigi’s fake healing and degrading treatment of the people of Mokwa is a betrayal of trust. The Ndalile’s refusal to condemn the fraudulent claims and exploitative schemes is incompatible with his duties and responsibilities as a traditional ruler. It must be made clear to the Ndalile of Mokwa that he must choose to rule following the law of the country or he would be sanctioned.

For months, Hassan Patigi, who is from Kwara state, has been conducting faith healing and witchcraft exorcist rallies in Mokwa with thousands of attendees in violation of the guidelines for the management of COVID19. Some revulsive images and videos of Patigi’s healing activities have been circulating online, showing scenes of torture, inhuman and degrading treating of alleged witches, and others he claimed to be healing. In some of the videos, Patigi forced alleged witches to go naked, fight and urinate on themselves. In one video, Hassan Patigi was seen maltreating an old woman, accused of witchcraft in the community.

These so-called ‘healing practices’ violate health management codes; they contravene human rights and the laws of the country. Unfortunately, the Ndalile of Mokwa has been frustrating all the efforts being made to stop this charlatan and end his utterly shameful activities in the area. There have been posts and comments linking the traditional ruler to the activities of Hassan Patigi. One post states: “He does his bogus healing at his residence especially in the evening, at the traditional head’s house in the afternoon and torture innocent girls, men and old women to get them to confess to practicing witchcraft”
Patigi’s ‘healing exploits’ are an indictment on the authorities in Mokwa and Niger state. They demonstrate a dereliction of duty and inability to secure and protect the lives of people in Mokwa.

Once again, AFAW implores the governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, the Etsu of Nupe, Yahaya Abubakar Kusodu, the Commissioner of Police, the chairman of Mokwa to take urgent and immediate steps to restore law and order in Mokwa.

Hassan Patigi’s abusive healing practices must stop. Ndalile’s continued support for Patigi’s despicable activities in Mokwa must end.

Leo Igwe

Leo Igwe (born July 26, 1970) is a Nigerian human rights advocate and humanist. Igwe is a former Western and Southern African representative of the International Humanist and Ethical Union, and has specialized in campaigning against and documenting the impacts of child witchcraft accusations. He holds a Ph.D from the Bayreuth International School of African Studies at the University of Bayreuth in Germany, having earned a graduate degree in Philosophy from the University of Calabar in Nigeria. Igwe’s human rights advocacy has brought him into conflict with high-profile witchcraft believers, such as Liberty Foundation Gospel Ministries, because of his criticism of what he describes as their role in the violence and child abandonment that sometimes result from accusations of witchcraft. His human rights fieldwork has led to his arrest on several occasions in Nigeria. Igwe has held leadership roles in the Nigerian Humanist Movement, Atheist Alliance International, and the Center For Inquiry—Nigeria. In 2012, Igwe was appointed as a Research Fellow of the James Randi Educational Foundation, where he continues working toward the goal of responding to what he sees as the deleterious effects of superstition, advancing skepticism throughout Africa and around the world. In 2014, Igwe was chosen as a laureate of the International Academy of Humanism and in 2017 received the Distinguished Services to Humanism Award from the International Humanist and Ethical Union. Igwe was raised in southeastern Nigeria, and describes his household as being strictly Catholic in the midst of a “highly superstitious community,” according to an interview in the Gold Coast Bulletin.[1] At age twelve, Igwe entered the seminary, beginning to study for the Catholic priesthood, but later was confused by conflicting beliefs between Christian theology and the beliefs in witches and wizards that are “entrenched in Nigerian society.”[1] After a period of research and internal conflict due to doubts about the “odd blend of tribalism and fundamentalist Christianity he believes is stunting African development,” a 24-year-old Igwe resigned from the seminary and relocated to Ibadan, Nigeria