Two widows alleged to be witches have been lynched in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The victims identified as Mrs Martina Osom and Mrs Rose Akon, were on Saturday, August 27, allegedly tortured to death by youths.
It was gathered that the incident happened in Ebbaken community in Boje, Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State.
A son-in-law to one of the widows who preferred to remain anonymous, said that the women who were devoted Catholics were returning from early morning prayers when the youths accosted and accused them of initiating a member of the community into witchcraft.
“They met my mother-in-law within the church environment, as it was her tradition to weed and clean up the church vicinity every Saturday immediately after the Morning Mass.
“The youths accused her of initiating a member of the community into witchcraft and she denied the allegation but they went ahead and inflicted her with severe beating, ordering her to confess that she is a witch but her passionate appeal to them that she was innocent fell on deaf ears.”
He said the other woman, Mrs Rose Akon, was also dragged to join his mother-in-law and tortured to compel her to confess to allegations that she is a witch.
“They were both tied with strong ropes and beaten in the rain all through the day until they died,” the eyewitness said, adding “that was what happened in this civilised era in this community”.
He said the police have not made any arrest as the suspects are walking freely in the community.
The Cross River State Police Command PPRO, SP Irene Ugbo, did not respond to a text message sent to her regarding the incident.
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