The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW), a non-governmental organization, has partnered with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to address human rights violations stemming from witchcraft accusations and ritual killings in Nigeria. The collaboration was announced during a roundtable discussion held on Friday at the NHRC office in Akure, Ondo State.
The event, themed “Witch Hunts and Human Rights Violations,” brought together stakeholders to tackle the widespread issue of false accusations and the mistreatment of alleged witches. AfAW Coordinator Leo Igwe emphasized the need to eradicate superstitious beliefs that fuel these abuses, noting that most victims are targeted based on unsubstantiated allegations.
“I am not satisfied with the way victims of witchcraft accusations are treated. You hear in the news that someone has been lynched somewhere, and after that, you don’t hear anything about it again. The perpetrators are not punished or prosecuted. The same applies to ritual attacks,” Igwe said.
He highlighted that many victims, particularly the elderly, are lynched or attacked based on fear or suspicion rather than concrete evidence. “If juju could really kill people, do you think many of us would still be alive today? Everyone has someone who dislikes them or wishes them harm. Yet, innocent lives are wasted based on baseless fears and suspicions,” he added.
Igwe called for the re-education of religious and community leaders, whom he accused of perpetuating witchcraft-related violence. “We need to educate and re-educate our religious leaders because they are the ones inciting many of these actions. We must engage churches and mosques, and we also need our schools involved, as they sometimes reinforce these beliefs in people’s minds,” he stated.
He also stressed the need for greater awareness, noting that witchcraft-related abuses are often not taken as seriously as other human rights violations.
“People are aware of human rights violations, but when it comes to issues related to witches and ritual killings, they don’t take them as seriously. They do not see them in the same light as other human rights abuses, as they somehow believe they are justified,” Igwe said.
In his remarks, the Ondo State Coordinator of the NHRC, Sunday Olajide, revealed that the commission had received hundreds of reports of human rights violations in the state, including cases of sexual abuse and domestic violence. He noted that the NHRC has been conducting public awareness campaigns to educate citizens about their rights and how to report violations.
“Every year, we conduct awareness campaigns to educate the public about their rights and inform them where to report if their rights are violated,” Olajide stated.
The partnership between AfAW and the NHRC marks a significant step toward addressing witchcraft-related human rights abuses and promoting justice for victims.
