From Wilson Okereke, Afikpo
Wonders, they say shall never end. Two elderly men, Ogbonna Nwome and Francis Nwachukwu, were nearly lynched on November 20, 2022, at Amuzu, Igbeagu, but for the timely intervention of a team of police officers from the Izzi Divisional Police Headquarters, Ebonyi State.
They were accused of indulging in witchcraft. Nwome was said to have been prompted by a force suspected to be connected with nemesis. He suddenly began to tell people that he had a hand in the death of a certain Michael Nwachukwu who died mysteriously about 30 years ago.
He claimed that he was manipulated spiritually by his co-accused, Francis. The former alleged that Nwachukwu wore his (Nwome) face before committing the heinous act then.
Michael was stepbrother of Francis. It was gathered that the latter had given the deceased a befitting burial. He had also contributed to the upkeep of the late brother’s immediate family especially as the bereaved children were still tender then.
With the development, the two men were apprehended by a mob who, paraded them round the community and were about snuffing life out of them.
Nwome, in his confessional statement admitted to the crime. He revealed that he had been using Michael’s grave as a means of spiritual transportation, by appearing in other parts of the society for assignments, once he lay on the man’s tomb.
Regina, one of the wives of the embattled Francis, told our reporter that trouble started when Nwome and one Emeka led angry youths to their compound. They allegedly bundled the polygamist away after destroying some valuables:
“My husband has been a staunch member of the Methodist Church who never involved himself in any diabolical activity. Suddenly, Mr Ogbonna Nwome began to accuse him of causing the death of his own stepbrother, Michael Nwachukwu, not minding that it was my husband that buried Michael so many years ago. He equally assisted the man’s family to the best of his ability.”
Francis’s two other wives, Virginia and Christiana, said the villagers whom according to the women, did not ascertain the veracity of the allegation either through traditional means or otherwise, before parading their husband:
“Our husband never dreamt of hurting anyone through any means, let alone causing somebody’s death. This humiliation is precisely the handwork of Ogbonna Nwome, Emeka and many others.”
Francis’s daughter, 18-year-old Goodness, wondered how people dehumanised her peace-loving father for allegedly causing the death of his stepbrother who died even before she was born: “Upon the people’s arrival in our compound, they set one of the huts containing foodstuffs and other valuables on fire and destroyed a lot of things therein.”
Our reporter was almost harmed by the perpetrators. It took the intervention of some people who protected him from encountering his own dose of beatings from the irate youths. They were uncomfortable with the presence of an outsider while they paraded the alleged wizards.
Incidents like this are fast becoming a norm in the Izzi. Two weeks earlier, one Nwangele, an indigene of Igweledeoha village, said to have masterminded the death of his extended relation, Simon, suffered similar fate in the hands of his accusers at Ezzainyimagu Community.
Our source who pleaded anonymity said the suspected wizard would have been pushed into a well in his compound as a punitive measure, if not for the intervention of some prominent persons in the village: “The people wanted to get him drowned inside the well but the idea was vehemently objected by some persons.
“However, they did not relent. They eventually brought out Nwangele’s belongings from his compound and threw all the items inside the well.
“The victim after absorbing the beatings was handed over to his immediate family members pending the next line of action of his accusers.”
Though, community leaders condemned the barbarian act, they would not speak to the press to avoid being attacked by the youths of the community.