Dr. Leo Igwe, Executive Director of Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfWA), has accused police of invading a seminar on “witch persecution” scheduled for Saturday in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
Igwe, who made the announcement in a statement on Saturday, called the police action “unacceptable,” especially since the state’s Commissioner of Police was invited to the program.
He claimed that all attendees from various human rights and civil society organizations, including the National Human Rights Commission, were chased out of the venue.
Titled: “Police stop seminar on witch persecution in Makurdi,” the statement partly read: “The police have invaded the venue of the seminar on “witch persecution” to be held today in Makurdi, Benue State. At least 15 police officers who arrived in five vehicles are at the venue, Green Belt Hotel in Makurdi.
“The DPO of the area, Daniel Ezeala, said they had been instructed to stop the meeting and urged every attendee to vacate the venue. Another officer said that they got some intelligence that witches were meeting at the venue.
“AfAW invited the CP to the event. Attendees including delegates from the NHRC and FIDA have been told to leave the premises of the event. Discussion is ongoing to resolve the matter.
“AfAW is embarrassed by this development It is unfortunate that a meeting convened to address human rights abuses linked to witchcraft beliefs is disrupted by law enforcers in Nigeria.”
