The police in Benue State have arrested a man, Ushahemba Agena, for allegedly leading a nine-member gang which assaulted an octogenarian over witchcraft allegation in Gwer East LGA.
Our correspondent reports that it has become rampant in some areas of the state whereby people, especially old ones, are labelled wizards and witches and tortured to death by mostly the youths.
The trend continued in Gwer East LGA where recently two elderly people, Kwaghange Ugbu and Atuur Shaaja, were beaten to death by a mob who dragged them with ropes on the ground until they died.
Police spokesman in the state, SP Catherine Anene, explained that in the latest incident, the victim was rescued by the police.
She said, “On 18/1/2023 at about 1130hrs, it was gathered that Elder Kyado Justin ‘m’ 89 years old of Tse Agena- Gbamacha council ward, Gwer-East LGA was abducted by a 9-man gang for alleged witchcraft against a young man who had been sick in the area as pronounced by a witchdoctor.
“The youth took him to an area where they prepared fire and compelled the octogenarian to sit by the fire so that by this torture he will confess that he had a hand in the ill health of one Terzungwe Agena.
“Upon arrival of the police, the hoodlums abandoned the victim who had sustained various degrees of burns at his waist and legs and ran away. He was rescued and taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Apir, where he is receiving treatment.”
Anene added that investigation led to the arrest of one Ushahemba Agena who led the mob to the victim’s house.
But, the suspect, Agena, said that the octogenarian was his uncle and that they only made fire to warm him up because of cold.
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