A wave of fear swept through Otereufie, a quiet village in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, after residents publicly stripped and marched a man through the marketplace, accusing him of being behind the recent deaths of two locals through alleged witchcraft.
Community sources say the unidentified man was blamed for the sudden and unexplained deaths of Joe Nwofoke and Victor Nwogbaga, both natives of the same village. According to eyewitness accounts, villagers claimed he was caught while allegedly attempting to carry out another harmful act.
Though some reports suggest he confessed before the crowd, this claim remains unverified. His whereabouts after the incident are still unknown. It’s unclear whether he was taken into custody by the authorities or subjected to further actions by vigilantes.
The Ebonyi State Police Command has distanced itself from the incident, stating it had not received any formal complaint. The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, assured the public that the case would be looked into once accurate details reach the division in charge.
SP Ukandu condemned the incident, describing it as a clear act of jungle justice. He stressed that accusations—no matter how serious—must follow due legal procedures.
“No one has the legal authority to humiliate or punish someone based on suspicion. If there’s an accusation, it must be reported and dealt with through lawful investigation. Anyone involved in taking the law into their own hands will face consequences,”.
Joshua Ukandu
The police are calling on the public to assist with credible information as efforts to investigate the matter officially begin.
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