About four houses in Nyansheigu and Ward ‘K’ of the Sagnarigu district have been torched by angry youth of the area over alleged witchcraft. The youth went on rampage from one house to another where the alleged witches and wizards live and burnt their rooms, claiming that the wizards and witches have been terrorizing them and they had no option but to vent their anger on them.
Mr Abukari Napari, the Chief of Nyanshegu, disclosed to Zaa News that the issue was brought to his palace a girl who was allegedly possessed by demons. The girl, Nyeshe-Naa said, was sent to a Mallam who recited certain verses of the Holy Quran and in the process, the girl mentioned names of alleged wizards and witches.
The chief said some of the alleged witches were brought to his palace by relatives of victims but he told them to exercise patience while he and his elders looked into the matter.
However, the angry youth told him they had ran out of patience and resolved to mete out instance justice to the alleged wizards and witches. He also pointed to a tape was played at his palace in which one of the suspect was heard confessing his acts.
Nyaba Nyeshei Naa said he pleaded that the accused persons be sent to the Choggu Naa palace but the youth refused. He said one of his grandson’s friend, Dohini Wala Issah was mentioned as one of the suspected wizards.
Two of his grandsons, Sulemana, Iddrisu and his two wives are among those being accused, Nyeshei Naa told Zaa News.
“I suggested to the angry youth to let elders send the suspects to a shrine for confirmation or otherwise, but the youth were adamant on taking revenge. Meanwhile the police and military have since taken over the area to prevent further violence from the youth.
We are targeted by the witches &wizards
Asked why they decided to take the law into their hands, the youth of the area said they have to defend themselves because they themselves are targets of the witches and wizards.
They attributed recent mysterious deaths and the pulling down of a youth political pavilion in the area as evidence that they had fallen prey to the alleged witches and wizards. “We suspected these people after some of our members started losing their lives mysteriously,” a member told Zaa News.
‘Wizard’ accounts
A man accused of collaborating with the women in area who cried uncontrollably told Zaa news he has no spiritual powers to trouble the youth as they claimed.
The Tamale Metropolitan Police Commander, ASP Wisdom Lavoe, who confirmed the incident to Zaa News said his men will stay in the community for a while.
No arrest has been made by the police. The youth after the act went into hiding when the combined police and military force stormed the community.
