humiliations.
A Rights group, the Child’s Right and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN)
have bemoaned the involvement of Mr. Thomas Obi Tawo (a.k.a General
Iron) a Senior Special Assistant to the state governor, Dr. Ben Ayade in
the dastardly act which has sent unsuspected innocent people to an early
grave.
Mr. Sam Ikpe Itauma, Director of the group while condemning the devilish
act, has called for the immediate sack of Mr. Tawo by the state governor
to serve as a deterrent to others.
“This is beyond comprehension, and we strongly condemn this devilish act
in no uncertain terms. We call on Governor Ben Ayade to immediately fire
Mr. Thomas Obi Tawo from his administration,” he said.
He called also on the Inspector General of Police to arrest Mr. Tawo and
investigate him for assault, battery, and possible homicide.
He alleged that Mr. Tawo had hired cult boys and hoodlums to bundle
elderly men and women in his hometown of Boki Local Government Area of
the state, beat them up with sticks and rods, then steam machetes in a
fire, use and scald them on their bodies while tying them with ropes on
stakes over his malaria dream that these poor, and hapless elderly
people were fighting him while asleep in a vision is not only sickening
but horrifying.
The elderly men and women were put through this horrendous attack to
extract confessions for what they don’t even understand. And some of
them who attempted to escape the callous and barbaric treatment were
further mangled. This is how a lot has been dragged to an unknown
destination in the forest and their whereabouts remain a mystery.
Recently, there’s been a spike in torture and killing of old men and
women as well as children across the country, especially Cross River
State, after stereotyping them as witches and wizards.
This has been fueled by mendacious religious preaching churned out by
pulpit theologians who have run out of ideas and mastery to maintain
their steam of popularity, exploitation, and extortionist gambit.
Unfortunately, due to ignorance and unfounded fears, stigmatized men and
women including children hardly have people who speak out or stand up
for them.
“I hereby charge civil society organizations to rise up to the occasion
and defend the right of people stereotyped on the grounds of witchcraft
accusations,” Itauma said.
