| credits: Etim Ekpimah
Two
Nigerian Air Force personnel, a riot policeman, and a civilian have
been accused of assaulting two septuagenarians over alleged witchcraft
in Ediene Abak, Abak Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.
The attackers, Corporals Michael Williams
and Akwaowo William serve with the Nigerian Airforce, while Uduak
William serves with the Nigeria Police. The other, Ekereobong William,
is a civilian. They are brothers.
The quartet was said to have beaten up
and stripped their uncle, Mr. Polycarp William, and his wife, Mrs. Anna
William. They were also said to have destroyed some economic trees and a
Volvo 740 saloon car belonging to Polycarp.
An eyewitness, Mrs. Theresa Ekong, told
our correspondent that the four men acted on the suspicion that Polycarp
and Anna used witchcraft to hinder their progress.
She stated that the four had driven the
septuagenarians from Ediene Abak community after stripping them naked
and made them walk on the streets of the community.
She said, “All the four brothers said
their uncle and his wife had been responsible for their lack of progress
at work and in life through witchcraft.
“They beat them and threatened to shoot
anyone who intervened in the matter. They cocked their guns to show
their seriousness. It was a terrible Monday.
“There were bruises on Anna’s knees as
the men dragged her on the ground. She and her husband were ordered out
of their home and community.”
When our correspondent visited the scene,
all the residents living within and around the compound where the
septuagenarians were assaulted refused to speak for fear of reprisal.
PUNCH Metro observed that some
tenants had already begun to leave the house. It was gathered that some
of them had received repeated threats by ‘boys’ suspected to be acting
on instructions of the suspects.
Speaking to our correspondent on the
telephone from Ikot Obio Inyang village, Etinan LGA, where Polycarp and
Anna were taking refuge, Anna, who gave her age as 70 years said her
sister, husband and a maid were dragged out of their house in the early
hours of Monday morning.
She said, “We were stripped naked,
ordered to sit on bare floor. They tied my neck with dried plantain
leaves and hired a cameraman to take my pictures.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom State Command, ASP John Patrick confirmed the incident.
He said, “The matter has been transferred to the anti-robbery squad at the State Criminal Investigation Department.”
PUNCH
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