CSOs demand justice for woman killed for alleged witchcraft

Civil Societies Organisations (CSOs) in Cross River State, have called for the arrest and prosecution of killers of a woman accused of being involved in witchcraft.

Martina Okey Itagbor was allegedly killed by some youths at Old Netim, Akamkpa Local Government after chopping off her fingers.

An eyewitness said the woman was beaten mercilessly, stripped and the youths poured a bottle of petrol on her before setting fire on her. They accused her of engaging in witchcraft activities and said she had been responsible for many deaths in the community.

According to the witness, the woman wailed and begged for help but none was forthcoming as those willing were afraid of also being attacked by the rampaging youths.

But the CSOs, including Citizens’ Solution Network, Agba Jalingo Foundation for Investigative and Accountability Journalism and Association of Cross River Online Journalists (ACROJ) led by by Agba Jalingo, in a statement, called on Cross River State Police Command to arrest and prosecute all those involved in the brutal murder of Mrs Martina Okey Itagbor after subjecting her to all sorts of indignities.

"Mrs Martina Okey Itagbor needs not be executed extra-judicially by misguided bloodthirsty murderers without her soul getting justice from the state. We demand justice. This is one extrajudicial killing too many. These primitive and unacceptable murders keep occurring in the state because those who killed innocent women are not usually brought to book.

“For this reason with intention to prevent senseless and reprehensible killings in the future, we the organisations who are signatories to this press statement wish to call on the Nigerian Police Force to see that justice is served as we condemn the murder of Mrs Martina Okey Itagbor in the strongest terms,” the group stated.