Two widows identified as Mrs. Martina Osom and Mrs. Rose Akom, have reportedly been beaten to death after they were accused of being witches by the youths of Ebbaken community in Boje, Boki local government area of Cross River State.
Vanguard reports that the incident occurred on the morning of Saturday, August 2.
An eyewitness and a son-in-law to one of the widows, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said both women, devoted Catholics, were returning from early morning prayers when the youths 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 beat her severely, 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.
He said the other woman, Mrs Rose Akom, was also dragged to join his mother-in-law and inflicted with same torture, ordering 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”, he added.
He said no arrest had been made and the culprits are walking free in the community.
“That was what happened in this civilised era in this community”, he lamented.
The state police command is yet to react to this development.
