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Amnesty International Nigeria has condemned the killing of an 80-year-old man, Ordue Ikye, who was beaten to death by a mob in Benue State over witchcraft allegations, and called for a transparent investigation into the incident.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page on Sunday, the human rights organisation said Nigerian authorities must “transparently and impartially investigate” the killing which occurred in Tse-Ikye, Gbemacha Council Ward, Gwer Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to Amnesty, Ikye was accused of “causing the death of a younger relative through witchcraft” after the illness and subsequent death of Aker Aleva, who reportedly died in hospital.
“Ordue’s case is just one of the heart-wrenching examples of the dire consequences of witchcraft accusations.
“Ikye repeatedly denied the accusation up to the time he was lynched,” the group said.
The organisation described the killing as a stark reminder of the dangers of mob justice and baseless accusations.
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Amnesty explained, “This tragic killing of Ordue Ikye is a stark reminder of the urgent need to prevent further atrocities and ensure that innocent lives are protected from baseless allegations of witchcraft.”
The group noted that such accusations “usually start within the family or among community members, following a tragic event such as an illness or a death.”
“Older women and men living in poverty, with health conditions or disabilities are at greater risk of being accused,” it added.
The rights group urged the Federal and Benue State governments to take concrete steps to end the practice.
“The government must establish a properly resourced long-term national awareness campaign challenging cultural and social practices that discriminate against older people, through witchcraft accusations,” Amnesty said.
It also called on security agencies to ensure perpetrators of the mob attack are identified, arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
