Villagers on the run over witch killings, Police call for information

Abiodun OBA

The residents of Dasin Bwate Village in Fufore Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa state, have fled the community as the Police sought information.

This is in connection with the killing of seven people over allegations of practising witchcraft. 

DSP Sulaiman Nguroje, the police spokesman in the state, said the village head was also on the run, saying, this has prevented any arrest from being made three days after the killings.

Nguroje called on the general public to assist the police with useful information on the fleeing villagers.

It was gathered that the killing of the seven witchcraft suspects followed mysterious deaths that had been occurring in the village in recent times.

A source disclosed: “Following the mysterious deaths across age brackets and sex in the village, the community began to suspect some people amongst them.

“After several lamentations, two people were accused, questioned and brought before the village’s elders on suspicion of their involvement in the death of the village youth leader and other people in the village.

“The two suspects were made to drink some traditional concoctions, after which they confessed and confirmed to the village elders that they were the ones behind the mysterious deaths in the village.

“And that they are not the only ones. They mentioned the names of five other people, who, they alleged, were part of their witchcraft gang causing the mysterious deaths.

“The suspects went on to further confirm to the elders that they had already pencilled down some more villagers for sacrifice.”

He said after listening to the suspects’ evil motives, the elders immediately summoned a secret meeting where they collectively decided to deal with the suspects.

All efforts to find someone from the village to confirm the account of the source, however, failed.