Category Archives: 2020

Amnesty International – Ghana: hundreds accused of witchcraft urgently need protection and reparation

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Belief in witchcraft is widespread on the African continent. Amnesty International recently released a report highlighting the situation in Ghana, in particular in the northern part of the country, but accusations of witchcraft and attacks on persons accused of being witches, in particular elder women, are – I dare say – common in many African communities, in rural areas as well as urban centers. See my previous posts on the subject.

Authorities often fail to react adequately on these human rights violations. It is not rare that even those occupying responsible positions in society also belief in witchcraft, joining violators in stead of protecting vulnerable victims.

As Amnesty International emphasizes in its report, root causes must be addressed. Genevieve Partington, Country Director Amnesty International Ghana pleads for an active role of governments in combatting this evil:

“The government should establish a properly resourced long-term national awareness campaign challenging cultural and social practices that discriminate against women and older people, including witchcraft accusations.”

Read the full story below.

NB The full title of the Amnesty International report is ‘Branded for life: how witchcraft accusations lead to human rights violations of hundreds of women in north Ghana’.
(webmaster FVDK)

Witchcraft accusations putting hundreds at risk of “physical attacks or even death” in Ghana, Amnesty says

Published: April 14, 2025
By: CBS BNews (CBS/AFP)

Hundreds of people suspected of witchcraft in Ghana, especially older women, face rampant human rights abuses including murder, Amnesty International said Monday, asking the government to criminalize accusations and ritual attacks.

In 2023, the Ghanaian parliament passed a bill making it a criminal offense to declare, accuse, name or label someone as a witch but the bill is yet to be signed into law.

“The accusations, which can lead to threats, physical attacks or even death, usually start within the family or among community members following a tragic event such as an illness or a death,” Amnesty said.

“Older women living in poverty, with health conditions or disabilities are at greater risk, as well as women who do not conform to stereotypical gender roles. In some cases, accusers even base their claims on having had a bad dream about a person,” it added.

The majority of victims are “marginalized individuals, particularly older women,” in areas in the country’s northern and northeastern regions, the report said.

Belief in witchcraft remains common in many rural communities along the west African coast, including Ghana, and elsewhere in the continent. Earlier this year, two men in Zambia were charged with practicing witchcraft and possessing charms intended to harm the country’s president.

People accused of witchcraft are usually banished from their home areas and in Ghana they seek refuge in camps run by traditional priests “where they remain until they die or a family member or another community accepts them,” the rights monitor said.

Amnesty said Ghana had not done enough to protect victims, stressing the need for a sensitization campaign in vulnerable areas.

It also said the government had failed to “ensure access to adequate food, safe housing and clean water” for people living in these camps.

“The authorities should pass legislation specifically criminalizing witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks, including protective measures for potential victims,” said Genevieve Partington, Amnesty’s country director in Ghana.

Partington is also a member of the Coalition Against Witchcraft Accusations, an association set up following the lynching of a 90-year-old woman in July 2020 in northern Ghana.

Similar attacks occur in other parts of Africa.

Eight women blamed for the death of two ailing boys in Guinea Bissau last year were forced to drink poison and died.  

Also last year, two women in their sixties were publicly stoned and their bodies burnt in the Democratic Republic of Congo for allegedly causing the deaths of several people.

This is a reflection of how “we treat elderly people,” Leo Igwe, founder of Nigeria-based non-profit Advocacy for Alleged Witches, told AFP.

Samadu Sayibu of Ghana’s rights group Songtaba, said it also “highlighted issues such as gender and poverty.”

Belief in witchcraft is also common in some rural communities in Angola despite strong opposition from the church in the predominantly Catholic former Portuguese colony. Last year, police said about 50 people died in Angola after being forced to drink an herbal potion to prove they were not sorcerers.

During a 2009 trip to Angola, Pope Benedict urged Catholics to shun witchcraft and sorcery.

Source: Witchcraft accusations putting hundreds at risk of “physical attacks or even death” in Ghana, Amnesty says

The original Amnesty International article:

Ghana: Hundreds accused of witchcraft urgently need protection and reparation

Published: April 14, 2025
By: Amnesty International

The Ghanaian authorities have failed to protect and fulfil the human rights of hundreds of victims of witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks that forced them to flee their communities fearing for their lives, said Amnesty International in a new report.

“Branded for life: How witchcraft accusations lead to human rights violations of hundreds of women in North Ghana”, documents the situation across four informal camps where accused people, primarily older women, are currently living with insufficient access to health services, food, safe housing, clean water and economic opportunities. At the time of Amnesty International’s visits in November 2023 and April 2024, more than 500 people were residing in the camps.

Click here to download the Report

“Witchcraft accusations and related abuses infringe on a person’s right to life, to security, and to non-discrimination. This deeply rooted and prevalent practice has led to untold suffering and violence. While the belief in witchcraft is protected under international law, harmful practices that stem from the belief are not and those impacted need protection and reparation,” said Michèle Eken, Senior Researcher at Amnesty International.  

“He doesn’t want me [in the community], that’s why he accused me”

The accusations, which can lead to threats, physical attacks or even death, usually start within the family or among community members following a tragic event such as an illness or a death. Older women living in poverty, with health conditions or disabilities are at greater risk, as well as women who do not conform to stereotypical gender roles.

In some cases, accusers even base their claims on having had a bad dream about a person.

They always have plans of putting allegations against you, especially if you are hardworking and are still strong and doing well as a woman.A resident of the Kukuo camp

“My neighbour said he dreamt […] that I was trying to kill him. He doesn’t want me [in the community], that’s why he accused me,” said Fawza*, resident of Gnani camp. “I refused for the [village] chief to marry any of my daughters. One day, a child got sick in the community and the chief accused me,” said Fatma*, resident of the Kukuo camp.

Another resident of the Kukuo camp about 60 years old, said: “They always have plans of putting allegations against you, especially if you are hardworking and are still strong and doing well as a woman.”

Authorities failing to ensure decent living conditions in camps

Women accused of witchcraft have no safe place to run to other than camps overseen by religious leaders in the northern and north-east regions of Ghana, which are now more than a century old. 

Gambaga Camp, North East Ghana

Although the camps offer shelter, the living conditions are inadequate. Alimata* struggles with her accommodation: “I have my own room here, but it needs reroofing. Water comes down through the roof when it rains.” A resident of the Kukuo camp in her eighties, has not been able to support herself since she fled her village: “I miss a lot [from home]. I had everything. I was harvesting shea nuts. Now, if someone doesn’t feed me, how would I eat?”

The government has failed to ensure access to adequate food, safe housing and clean water in the camps. Health services are also inadequate for women who have serious or ongoing health conditions. Livelihood opportunities are limited and there is no governmental programme to support victims of witchcraft accusations.

“Because people in the camps are unable to provide for themselves, the authorities have a duty to protect and support them. But they have so far failed to do so,” said Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s Interim Regional Director for West and Central Africa.  

Witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks must be criminalized  

The testimonies point to the state’s failure to establish an environment conducive to criminal investigations and prosecutions of witchcraft-related attacks. This, in turn, contributes to the recurrence of accusations and related abuses.

By not providing a specific legal framework to address this harmful practice, the Ghanaian authorities have failed in their duty to protect victims.

“The authorities should pass legislation specifically criminalizing witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks, including protective measures for potential victims,” said Genevieve Partington, Country Director of Amnesty International Ghana and member of the Coalition Against Witchcraft Accusations, an association set up following the lynching of a 90-year-old woman in July 2020.

Root causes must also be addressed

The belief in witchcraft is entrenched in several communities. Criminalizing witchcraft accusations alone would not resolve the issue. While some sensitization initiatives have been conducted by NGOs and at the local government level, they are not enough to comprehensively combat stereotypes linked to witchcraft accusations.

The government should establish a long-term national awareness campaign challenging cultural and social practices that discriminate against women and older people.Genevieve Partington, Country Director of Amnesty International Ghana

“We urge the adoption of a holistic approach that addresses the root causes of the abuses including social and economic reintegration programmes, along with protection and reparations to persons who suffered abuses due to an accusation,” said Genevieve Partington.  

“The government should establish a properly resourced long-term national awareness campaign challenging cultural and social practices that discriminate against women and older people, including witchcraft accusations.”

Background 

This report is based on research conducted between July 2023 and January 2025. The organization interviewed 93 people accused of witchcraft living in four camps, including 82 women, most of them aged 50 to 90.

As part of Amnesty International’s campaign, discussions were held in early February 2025 with the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. They expressed interest in the reintroduction in parliament of the private members bill to criminalize witchcraft accusations and to protect victims of witchcraft accusations. The bill was reintroduced shortly afterwards.  

Amnesty International shared the preliminary findings of this report on 26 February 2025 with the authorities. At the time of finalizing the report, no responses had been received.

* Names have been changed to protect identity.

Source: Ghana: Hundreds accused of witchcraft urgently need protection and reparation

Read more:

Hundreds facing witchcraft accusations in Ghana need protection: Amnesty

Ghana’s national flags flay at half staff for late Ghana President John Atta Mills in Accra, Ghana, Friday, July 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Thompson ) (The Associated Press)

Published: pril 14, 2025
By: AFP, CTV News Canada

Accra, Ghana — Hundreds of people suspected of witchcraft in Ghana, especially older women, face rampant human rights abuses including murder, Amnesty International said Monday, asking the government to criminalise accusations and ritual attacks.

In 2023, the Ghanaian parliament passed a bill making it a criminal offence to declare, accuse, name, or label someone as a witch but the bill is yet to be signed into law.

“The accusations, which can lead to threats, physical attacks or even death, usually start within the family or among community members following a tragic event such as an illness or a death,” Amnesty said.

“Older women living in poverty, with health conditions or disabilities are at greater risk, as well as women who do not conform to stereotypical gender roles. In some cases, accusers even base their claims on having had a bad dream about a person,” it added.

The majority of victims are “marginalized individuals, particularly older women,” in areas in country’s northern and northeastern regions, the report said.

Belief in witchcraft remains common in many rural communities along the west African coast, including Ghana.

People accused of witchcraft are usually banished from their home areas and in Ghana they seek refuge in camps run by traditional priests “where they remain until they die or a family member or another community accepts them,” the rights monitor said.

Amnesty said Ghana had not done enough to protect victims, stressing the need for a sensitisation campaign in vulnerable areas.

It also said the government had failed to “ensure access to adequate food, safe housing and clean water” for people living in these camps.

“The authorities should pass legislation specifically criminalizing witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks, including protective measures for potential victims,” said Genevieve Partington, Amnesty’s country director in Ghana.

Partington is also a member of the Coalition Against Witchcraft Accusations, an association set up following the lynching of a 90-year-old woman in July 2020 in northern Ghana.

Similar attacks occur in other parts of Africa.

Eight women blamed for the death of two ailing boys in Guinea Bissau last year were forced to drink poison and died.

Also last year, two women in their sixties were publicly stoned and their bodies burnt in the Democratic Republic of Congo for allegedly causing the deaths of several people.

This is a reflection of how “we treat elderly people,” Leo Igwe, founder of Nigeria-based non-profit Advocacy for Alleged Witches, told AFP.

Samadu Sayibu of Ghana’s rights group Songtaba, said it also “highlighted issues such as gender and poverty”.

Source: Hundreds facing witchcraft accusations in Ghana need protection: Amnesty

When wealth demands blood: The horror of ritual killings in Nigeria

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Warning: the following post and related articles contain graphic details which may upset readers.

On previous occasions I have stated here that the numbers of abductions and murders for ritual motives are running sky-high in Nigeria, not to speak of missing persons leaving no trace. Having a brief look at the contents of this site since I started it in 2018, one is tempted to say that this West African country is well covered but by far I do not report all recorded cases of ritualistic murders in Africa’s most populated country (over 225 million inhabitants in 2024).

On March 4, the Daily Champion, a Nigerian online newspaper, reported that a group of community women under the name, ” concerned mothers” have raised alarm over the increase in ritual killings in Imo State. Two days later, another online newspaper, the Daily Post, published an alarming article, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger residents decry rising cases of ritual killings. The following day, a fashion’s designer’s head was cut off in a suspected ritual killing in Edo State. On Monday, March 10, Lagos State police arrested a fourth suspect after the discovery of the mutilated body of a Lagos State University graduate student – who had been missing since January 16, 2025 – in a shallow grace. The same day, Delta State police announced it intensified the hunt for killers of two women who were found dead on farms. They were allegedly killed for ritual purposes, as locals claimed that some of their vital organs were missing. In the same week, women took to the streets in Anambra State protesting against gender-based violence and ritual killings.

The list is too long to continue. Each day new ritual killing cases are unearthed, sometimes literally.

Given this background, the article below is not surprising and the reader will not be surprised that I fully support the author’s view: that greed is a basic ingredient and motive for ritualistic violence.

However, after having read the article I remain with two – related – unanswered questions.

Why is it that superstition is so widespread in Nigeria? Ritual murders and the harvesting of organs, other body parts, in short, ‘money rituals’, are carried out – by ‘ordinary criminals’ as well as by ‘ordinary citizens’ – because it is believed that ritual murders can make people rich or famous. Why is it that the belief in ‘juju’, the power of the supernatural, is so persistent?
(webmaster FVDK)

it is believed that ritual killings can make people rich

When wealth demands blood: The horror of ritual killings in Nigeria

Published: March 13, 2025
By: Kelly Odaro – The Nigerian Observer

Amidst Nigeria’s economic quagmire, a more sinister affliction festers — ritual killings. This grotesque practice, once whispered in hushed tones and relegated to the annals of folklore, has metamorphosed into an alarming commonplace reality.   

    The nation wakes up to a grim litany of media headlines detailing the heinous acts of individuals who, in their insatiable pursuit of material prosperity, desecrate human life with blood ritual. The moral fabric of our society is unravelling at an alarming pace, frayed by an unsettling obsession with overnight wealth.

    The recent gruesome murder in the Evbuotubu community of Benin City, where a young man’s head was severed, has once again spotlighted the disturbing prevalence of ritual killings in the region. This heinous act is not an isolated incident but part of a growing pattern of bloodshed fuelled by a dangerous obsession with instant wealth and power.

Ritual killings, often driven by superstitious beliefs and occult practices, have persisted in many parts of Nigeria despite modernisation and law enforcement efforts. In Benin City, several cases have been reported over the years, each more chilling than the last. Many of the unsuspecting victims are young men and women, often lured, kidnapped, and gruesomely murdered in rituals meant to bring fortune to perpetrators.

    In past years, there have been numerous reports of mutilated bodies discovered in forests, abandoned buildings, or shallow graves, their organs harvested for money-making rituals. In 

2020, a similar case rocked the Otuo community in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State where three young men and a woman were set ablaze by a mob for allegedly beheading a secondary school student in a suspected ritual killing (Punch, 25 February, 2020). In 2018, four brothers allegedly unalived their grandmother for money rituals in Ohovbe quarters, Ikpoba Hill in Benin City, according to Vanguard News (January 9, 2018). 

    Likewise, in 2019, police uncovered a shrine where human skulls and body parts were found, indicating that ritual killings were being carried out on a large scale. More so, over twenty mummified bodies were discovered in a building in Benin City (The Guardian, August 8, 2022), and a myriad of similar incidents occurred across Nigeria.

   Despite widespread condemnation, these horrific acts continue, largely because of deep-rooted societal attitudes that glorify sudden wealth without questioning its source. Many individuals with dubious riches are still celebrated, given chieftaincy titles, and honoured in religious circles simply because of their financial influence. This cultural acceptance creates an environment where desperate individuals, especially young men, resort to extreme measures to attain wealth and social status.

Addressing this crisis requires more than just police crackdowns. There must be a fundamental shift in societal values —one that prioritises ethical wealth over ill-gotten riches. Religious institutions, traditional rulers, and community leaders must take a firm stand against the glorification of questionable affluence.    

    The Evbuotubu incident is a grim reminder that Nigeria is still battling the scourge of ritual killings. Until society collectively condemns and rejects wealth acquired through bloodshed, such horrors will persist, leaving a trail of innocent victims in their wake.

    Once upon a time, wealth in Nigerian society was synonymous with industry, resilience, and ingenuity. The elders of old (traders, craftsmen, farmers, and entrepreneurs) prided themselves on the sweat of their brows. A man’s affluence was a direct reflection of his diligence and years of toil. 

    Today, however, a corrosive paradigm has taken root, one that glorifies instant affluence, irrespective of the means through which it is obtained. The insidious doctrine of “making it by any means necessary” has replaced the time-honoured principle of hard work.

    This paradigm shift is not accidental. It is the consequence of a deeply flawed value system where wealth, no matter how dubiously acquired, commands reverence. The very individuals who should be ostracised for their morally reprehensible conduct are, instead, venerated. This toxic culture emboldens desperate youth to explore even the most abhorrent means to attain affluence.

The most disheartening aspect of this trend is the complicity (both tacit and overt) of society’s supposed moral gatekeepers. Religious leaders, who should be the custodians of righteousness, have too often become enablers of corruption. In the grandiose edifices of faith, where the gospel of prosperity is preached with fervour, those with questionable sources of wealth are celebrated.    

    They are given front-row seats, called upon for prayers, and sometimes elevated to positions of religious leadership, all because their ill-gotten wealth fuels the construction of mega worship centres.

    Traditional rulers, the custodians of Nigeria’s cultural ethos, are equally culpable. The hallowed institution of chieftaincy, once reserved for men of impeccable character, has been commercialised. Titles that once symbolised honour are now available to the highest bidder. The affluent, irrespective of their moral standing, are conferred with chieftaincy titles in elaborate ceremonies attended by society’s crème de la crème. 

    In many instances, these so-called ‘chiefs’ are known for their nefarious dealings, yet they are paraded as paragons of success.

    The elite, politicians, and corporate magnates are not innocent either. Many continue to patronise, endorse, and associate with individuals whose wealth bears the stench of blood money. By doing so, they lend credibility to criminality and normalise the abnormal. When men who are rumoured to have amassed their fortunes through dark means are invited to state functions, given government contracts, or honoured in grand events, the message to the struggling youth is clear — wealth, regardless of its origin, is the ultimate measure of success.

The media, which should serve as society’s watchdog, is often a double-edged sword. While some journalists and media houses expose the nefarious activities of ritual killers, others glorify the very individuals whose sources of wealth are dubious. The extravagant lifestyles of these questionable figures are routinely splashed across the pages of newspapers, magazines, television, and online platforms, painting them as role models rather than cautionary tales.

    Reality television, social media influencers, and music videos further exacerbate the problem by promoting a culture of ostentation. Young people, bombarded with images of expensive cars, lavish mansions, and extravagant vacations, begin to equate self-worth with material possessions. Those who lack the patience for legitimate wealth creation resort to criminality, with some taking the ultimate plunge into the dark world of ritual killings.

    At the core of ritual killings is the utter dehumanization of victims. The perpetrators, in their frenzied pursuit of wealth, strip their victims of all humanity, reducing them to mere commodities for sacrifice. The gruesome nature of these killings — dismembered bodies, missing vital organs, and ritualistic symbols points to an eerie level of barbarism that should have no place in civilised society.

    Many victims are unsuspecting individuals. Children are lured with sweets or money, young women deceived by fake lovers, and travellers waylaid by ritual syndicates. The lack of stringent security measures, poor law enforcement, and a failing judicial system embolden these criminals, who often evade justice or buy their way out of prosecution.

    One of the greatest tragedies of Nigeria’s legal system is its failure to serve as a deterrent to ritual killers. Reports of arrests are frequent, but convictions are rare. The wheels of justice turn at a sluggish pace, and in many cases, perpetrators with financial clout secure their freedom.

Corruption within the police force further compounds the problem. Cases of ritual killings are sometimes swept under the carpet in exchange for bribes, leaving families of victims without closure. Even when cases proceed to court, the judiciary’s lethargy allows them to drag on indefinitely, creating a loophole for criminals to manoeuvre their way back into society.

    If Nigeria is to rid itself of the scourge of ritual killings, a fundamental societal reorientation is imperative. The following measures must be taken:

Schools must incorporate value-based education that emphasises the dignity of labour and the dangers of illicit wealth.

   The youth must be taught that wealth, when pursued through righteous means, is more fulfilling and sustainable; religious leaders must take an uncompromising stance against those who amass wealth through dubious means. Places of worship should cease to be sanctuaries for financial criminals.

    Besides, traditional rulers should uphold the sanctity of their institutions by ensuring that only men and women of impeccable character are honoured – chieftaincy titles must not be ‘commoditised.’

More so, the media as watchdog of the society must prioritise investigative journalism that exposes ritual killers rather than glorify ostentatious lifestyles. Content creators should promote positive role models rather than individuals with questionable affluence.       

    Again, the police and judiciary must be restructured to ensure that ritual killers are swiftly apprehended, tried, and convicted. 

There must be no sacred cows; the law must take its course without favouritism.

    Moreover, citizens must become more vigilant and report suspicious activities. Neighbourhood watch groups should be empowered to work with security agencies in identifying and apprehending suspected ritualists.

   Ritual killings in Nigeria are symptomatic of a deeper societal malaise — a value system that places wealth above humanity. The tragedy is not merely in the blood spilt but in the indifference with which society treats this growing menace. If the nation does not recalibrate its moral compass, the ritualistic shedding of human blood will continue unchecked, and our collective humanity will be the ultimate casualty.

Ritual killers are on the prowl, preying on unsuspecting victims across the country. These criminals lurk in both rural and urban areas, taking advantage of isolated locations, late hours, and unsuspecting individuals.

    Parents and guardians must take proactive measures to safeguard their children and wards from falling victim to these nefarious acts. Educating young people about the dangers of accepting rides from strangers, wandering off alone, or engaging with unknown individuals is crucial. Additionally, people must exercise caution in their daily movements, ensuring they avoid desolate areas, especially at night.

    Men and women alike must remain vigilant and prioritise personal safety. Walking alone on lonely paths or deserted streets, particularly in poorly lit areas, increases the risk of being targeted. Instead, people should move in groups whenever possible and be mindful of their surroundings. Until then, everyone must stay alert because in a society where ritual killers operate with impunity, personal vigilance is the first line of defence.

    Let those who have ears listen and let those in positions of influence act. Posterity will not forgive a society that sacrifices its own on the altar of unbridled greed.

Odaro, a columnist, lectures in the Department of Mass Communication, Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi.

Source: When wealth demands blood: The horror of ritual killings in Nigeria

Nigeria: Yetunde Lawal’s murder – A reflection of societal decadence

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The author of the article below, Ogungbile Oludotun, is upset, worried, outraged. The recent murder of Yetunde Lawal for ritual purposes in Kwara State (‘money ritual’) by an Islamic teacher she met on Facebook inspired her to an impressive (but far from exhaustive) list of similar crimes, in other Nigerian states. Some of the ritual murder cases included in the list I have covered in previous posts, e.g. the killing for ritualistic purposes of Favour Daley-Oladele by her boyfriend Owolabi Adeyemi, in Ogun State in 2019. Please consult this site’s search tool by typing the name of the victim, Favour Daley-Oladele.

Olungbile Oludotun argues, as I have repeatedly done here, that the disturbing trend of ritual killings in Nigeria is no longer an occasional horror; it is a sustained crisis. She even goes one step further by accusing the powerful elite: “While young Nigerians kill themselves for money, the people in power remain silent.”

As I have demonstrated recently, there are – fortunately – exceptions, see my posts of February 3 on the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, accusing Ekiti and Kwara monarchs of engaging in ritual killings, and of February 16, on the Asagba of Asaba, in Delta State, bansning native doctors for aiding ritual killers.

However, t the grim reality is that ritual killings continue to occur.

When will it stop? What needs to be done to stop these useless murders? Why hasn’t it stopped already?

It’s not only time to reflect on these questions. It’s high time for action!
(webmaster FVDK)

Yetunde Lawal’s murder: A reflection of societal decadence

The late Yetunde Lawal

Published: February 18, 2025
By: Ogungbile Oludotun – Punch, Nigeria

On February 10, 2025, Yetunde Lawal, a 25-year-old final-year student of Kwara State College of Education, left a naming ceremony after receiving a phone call. That call led her to her untimely end. She was allegedly murdered and dismembered by 29-year-old Abdulrahman Bello, an Islamic teacher she met on Facebook.

Yetunde’s case is shocking, but it is not new. It follows an unsettling pattern of young women, and sometimes young men, falling victim to violent crimes across Nigeria. It forces us to confront a terrifying question: Who is next? How many more lives must be lost before the right people take notice?

The disturbing trend of ritual killings is no longer an occasional horror; it is a sustained crisis. Just last year, in September 2024, 17-year-old Damilola, a first-year undergraduate at the Federal University Lokoja (in Kogi State – added by the webmaster FVDK) was murdered by Jeremiah Awe, a young man who allegedly drugged and lured her to his lodge for ritual purposes. To cover his tracks, he faked her kidnapping and demanded a ransom from her parents. Investigations later revealed that Awe had met a native doctor through TikTok, exposing the dangerous role of social media in facilitating such crimes.

During that same period, 21-year-old Mojisola Awesu, a recent graduate of Kwara State College of Health Technology, was lured to a party in Ilorin. The party was a trap. She was brutally murdered after being paid just N15,000 to attend. Meanwhile, in 2023, a young man named Ridwan killed his father in Ogun State for ritual purposes.

These cases are not isolated incidents.

They form a grim reality: our youth are killing each other, their loved ones, and even themselves in a desperate quest for wealth and power. Pathetically, women, especially young girls, have become the primary victims of ritual killings. Their vulnerability, compounded by poverty, gender stereotypes, and weak law enforcement, makes them easy prey.

In 2019, 22-year-old Favour Daley-Oladele was murdered by her boyfriend, Owolabi Adeyemi, in Ogun State for ritual purposes. In 2020, Sofiat Kehinde, just 20 years old, was killed by her boyfriend, Sadiq Owolabi, in Oyo State. The list is endless.

The most terrifying aspect of this crisis is that young people are killing other young people. The generation that should be shaping Nigeria’s future is instead destroying itself. Those who are not engaged in crime are looking for ways to escape the country, either legally or illegally. Unlike in the past, where crime was associated with hardened criminals, today’s perpetrators are students, lovers, and social media acquaintances committing atrocities unapologetically.

Nigeria has become a country where wealth is worshipped, and morality is secondary. Social media is filled with young men flashing luxury cars, designer clothes, and expensive vacations. But behind many of these lavish lifestyles lie irregularities, fraud, blood money, and ritual killings.

With a collapsing economy and little to no job opportunities, desperation has led many young Nigerians to create their survival strategies, Yahoo fraud (internet scams), Yahoo Plus (fraud combined with rituals), kidnapping for ransom, and organ trafficking. The logic is simple: “If hard work does not get me there, I will do whatever it takes.”

Some might ask whether money rituals actually work or if it is all psychological manipulation. Some argue that the idea of ritual wealth is a scam, pushed by native doctors and fraudsters to exploit desperate individuals. Yet, the practice persists, fuelled by Nollywood, spiritual myths, and testimonies from people who claim to have “seen” it work. But whether rituals actually produce money is irrelevant. What is real is the number of innocent people dying in the pursuit of it. Even if it is all a lie, the belief is deadly enough to drive people to murder.

While it is easy to blame the perpetrators, young women must also take responsibility for their safety. They must stop being at the beck and call of men they barely know. It is no longer enough to simply trust; caution is necessary. Meeting strangers alone, especially in isolated places, is a risk no one should take. Flashy social media lifestyles should not be seen as an invitation to blindly trust someone. If a man you barely know is promising you heaven and earth, ask yourself: Why?

Women must also look out for each other. If a friend is about to meet someone she barely knows, question her, accompany her, or insist on a public place. Many of these deaths could have been prevented if only someone had asked the right questions.

While young Nigerians kill themselves for money, the people in power remain silent. The government offers no jobs but is quick to arrest fraudsters. But what alternatives have they provided? The truth is nobody is innocent in this crisis. Nigeria is a society that rewards wealth without questioning its source. We are all complicit.

I will not start telling the government to create job opportunities or fix the economy, even though they should. I won’t talk about enforcing the law, even though it is their duty. These are things that should already be in place. But while we wait for change that may never come, we must act ourselves.

Yetunde Lawal is gone. Another young life wasted. Another brutal headline in an unending cycle of horror. Perhaps now her killer will wander in prison for a long time, maybe even be executed if found guilty. But if we do nothing, her death will be meaningless. And the next victim is already walking towards his/her fate. Who is next?

Ogungbile Oludotun writes via thedreamchaser65@gmail.com

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Source: Yetunde Lawal’s murder: A reflection of societal decadence

Nigeria – The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, accuses Ekiti and Kwara monarchs of engaging in ritual killings [video]

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This is not the first time that the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, accuses traditional rulers of engaging in ritual killings. See my posts of January 30 2020, Nigeria: ‘Amotekun should fight ritual killings and traditional corruption’, says the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi and of November 2, 2020, The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, speaking out against ritual killings: The Oluwo of Iwo (Osun State, Nigeria): ‘Ritual killing deadlier and more devastating than SARS’.

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has a solid reputation as to speaking out agains ritual killings, human sacrifice, other human rights violations and superstition. Nigerians, other Africans and all who believe in the protection of human rights should say a big ‘Thank you’ to him.

The fact that a person of the level and reputation of the Oluwo of Iwo, the traditional ruler of Iwo, a prominent city located in Osun State, raises his voice against these outdated and cruel practices is another sign of the widespread occurrence of killings for ritualistic purposes in Nigeria, Africa’s most populated country, and an implicit accusation directed to the country’s political leaders and authorities for failing to take adequate action to eradicate these gruesome practices which sometimes are based on outdated traditions.

Sadly, if political, traditional and spiritual leaders set a bad example in this respect, what can we expect from the ‘common people’? (….)
(FVDK)

‘This will be your last’ – Oluwo calls out Ekiti, Kwara kings, politicians, others over ritual killings [VIDEO]

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi

Published: January 10, 2025
By: Rachael Ayodele – Daily Post, Nigeria

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has accused Ekiti and Kwara monarchs of engaging in ritual killings.

Oluwo spoke in a now trending video on social media.

In the video cited by DAILY POST on Friday, Oba Akanbi condemned the rising tide of
bloodshed under the guise of tradition, spiritual renewal and power preservation.

The outspoken monarch called out his Ekiti and Kwara counterparts, as well as royal chiefs, pastors, traditional worshipers and politicians, for perpetrating the gruesome acts.

While calling for justice against them, he said, “All the traditional rulers from Ekiti State to Kwara State must stop using human beings for any forms of rituals or sacrifice.

“Stop killing our children. Stop using human heads. Those you are killing are my children because I’m a father to Yoruba land. We know some of the kings that are sacrificing humans monthly to elongate their lives and reigns.

“If you think we don’t know, the all-knowing God knows, and he is telling us. I’m warning kings, royal chiefs, native doctors, pastors, Alfas, including Ifa priests, politicians and others to stop killing our children.

“This will be your last. After this warning, you will not be fortunate if you dare use anyone again.”

Video:

Oluwo of Iwo @emperortelu1 sends warning to ritualists in South West
Screenshot – to watch the video (Instagram), please click here to access the original article

Source: ‘This will be your last’ – Oluwo calls out Ekiti, Kwara kings, politicians, others over ritual killings [VIDEO]

Kenya: ‘Cleansing’ ceremony to save a ‘bewitched’ woman’s life in Kilifi turns tragic

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The following series of articles I found both interesting and relevant to include here despite their gruesome contents. Introduction under construction (webmaster FVDK)

Please note: Unfortunately, references to links to related articles in the copied article(s) below don/t work. Interested readers are recommended to use the original text, if available.

‘Cleansing’ ceremony to save a ‘bewitched’ woman’s life in Kilifi turns tragic

Published: December 1, 2024
By: Brian Ocharo – Nation, Kenya

Source: ‘Cleansing’ ceremony to save a ‘bewitched’ woman’s life in Kilifi turns tragic

Also read:

The Aged, On Edge – Witchcraft and Abuse of the Elderly in Kilifi and Kwame County (Kenya)

By Fr Gabriel Dolan, ED Haki Yetu, July 2023.

“Haki Yetu which means “Our Rights” in Swahili was created to combat oppression, injustice and promote human rights as a principle for social justice in our communities of interest.” (Source: Haki Yetu, Inc.)

For the readers’ convenience follows the Table of Contents. Interested readers are advised to use the link below to gain access to the document.

Table of Contents
Acknowledgement i
Abbreviations iii
Foreword iv
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 The concept of witchcraft at the Coast 4
1.2.1 The potency of accusations 6
1.2.2 Oath taking and cleansing rituals 7

CHAPTER TWO: WITCHCRAFT RELATED RIGHTS VIOLATIONS 10
2.1 Introduction 10
2.2 Witchcraft related Homicide 11
2.2.1 Murder trends in Kilifi 13
2.2.2 Murder trends in Kwale 14
2.3 Emerging Trends 16
2.3.1 ‘Bebabeba’ and Rise of the killings 16
2.3.2 ‘Waombezi’ – the prophets of doom 16
2.3.3 Access to Justice for Victims and Survivors 18

CHAPTER THREE: CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS 20
3.1 Land Ownership Disputes 20
3.2 Administrative Inaction and Corruption 23
3.3 Weak Legislations and Enforcement Pathways 25
3.4 Ignorance/Misinformation/Lack of Awareness 28

CHAPTER FOUR: LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK 31
4.1 The Constitution of Kenya, 2010 32
4.2 The Witchcraft Act, CAP 67 Laws of Kenya 33
4.3 Witness Protection Act, CAP 79 36
4.4 The AU Protocol to the ACHPR on the Rights of Older Persons in Africa 37

CHAPTER FIVE: MVI SI UCHAWI CAMPAIGN 40
5.1 Haki Yetu’s interventions 40
5.2 Impact of Haki Yetu’s Interventions 45
5.3 Lessons learned challenges and good practices 46

CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 47
6.1 Recommendations 47
6.2 Conclusion 52

Source: The aged, on edge – witchcraft and abuse of the elderly in Kilifi and Kwale County

Also recommended :

Return of Kilifi witch killings worries authorities

Published: April 12, 2022
By: Maureen Ongala – Nation Media Group, Kenya

Source: Return of Kilifi witch killings worries authorities

Related articles:

Cries for justice for elderly women lynched on witchcraft claims

Published: January 13, 2022
By: Kamau Maichuhie – Nation Media Group

Source: Cries for justice for elderly women lynched on witchcraft claims

And:

Rabai MP faults police for rise in elderly killings

Published: October 29, 2021
By: Maureen Ongala – Nation Media Group, Kenya

Source: Rabai MP faults police for rise in elderly killings

And:

Kisii Governor Ongwae sets up witchcraft taskforce

Published: October 26, 2021
By: Ruth Mbula – Nation Media Group, Kenya

Source: Kisii Governor Ongwae sets up witchcraft taskforce

And also:

Witchcraft murders: Uhuru urged to look into plight of elderly in Kisii

Published: October 21, 2021
By: Ruth Mbula – Nation Media Group, Kenya

Source: Witchcraft murders: Uhuru urged to look into plight of elderly in Kisii

More:

‘She tried to bargain for her life’: Woman recounts granny’s plea to killer mob

Published: October 21, 2021
By: Ruth Mbula – Nation Media Group, Kenya

Relatives at the home of Sindega Maya, 83, in Marina on Monday. Maya was among four women lynched after they were accused of engaging inn witchcraft. (Ondari Omega / National Media Group).

Source: ‘She tried to bargain for her life’: Woman recounts granny’s plea to killer mob

And:

What Kenyan law says about witchcraft

Published: October 19, 2021
By: Stella Cherono – Nation Media group, Kenya

Screenshot – see the original article for details

Source: What Kenyan law says about witchcraft

And, finally, to illustrate that the problems of superstition, the belief in witchcraft and witches and of mob justice has a long history in Kenya:

Two women lynched and houses set on fire in witchcraft claims

Published: January 15, 2017 — updated on June 29, 2020
By: By HENRY NYARORA & JOSHUA ARAKA – Nation Media Group

Source: Two women lynched and houses set on fire in witchcraft claims

Witchcraft accusations and critical thinking: combating harmful effects of dogma and superstitions in Africa – by Leo Igwe (Nigeria)

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There’s no need to introduce Leo Igwe to the regular readers of my posts here on this site.

For those who’ve missed his articles and essays I may briefly refer to some of my previous posts, in 2018 (‘Confronting Superstition in Postcolonial Mozambique’), in 2021 (his comments on the arrest of suspected ritualists in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria), 2023 (‘Witchcraft Persecution and Advocacy without Borders in Africa’ and ‘A manifesto for a skeptical Africa’), and the current year 2024 (‘Ritual killing by 16-year-old indicates moral and educational failures’, commenting on a gruesome murder for ritual purposes in his home country Nigeria).

Leo Igwe is a famous human rights activist, an indefatigable fighter against superstition, witchcraft and ritualistic murders. In 2020 he started Advocacy for Alleged Witches. In this blog he regularly publishes on the lives of those affected by superstition and his organization’s efforts to save and/or to improve their lives.

The list of his achievements is too long to cite here, for shortness sake readers are referred to the internet where he is widely present.

Advocacy for Alleged Witches , created by Leo Igwe in 2020.

In a recent article published in Ghana Leo Igwe gives his views on witchcraft and the need to effectively fight superstition, not only in this West African country, but in all African countries. He does not hide his views and feelings, as will be clear when reading the following essay.

No need to elaborate further on his message. Let me invite you to start reading while praising Leo Igwe and the valuable work he’s doing!
(webmaster FVDK)

Witchcraft accusations and critical thinking: combating harmful effects of dogma and superstitions in Africa

Published: October 28, 2024
By: Leo Igwe – GhanaWeb

Leo Igwe works and campaigns to foster critical thinking skills in schools

Source: Witchcraft Accusations and Critical Thinking: Combating harmful effects of dogma and superstitions in Africa

Tanzania: Police crackdown on rising ritual killings in Singida Region

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It’s unclear whether the rising numbers of missing persons, abductions and suspected and confirmed cases of ritualistic killings are related to internal Tanzanian politics. However, what is clear is that there is is increasing level of insecurity in certain parts of this East African country notably in the Singida region whereas the role played by certain witchdoctors seems undeniable.

The Tanzanian police arrested seven people. Will this stop the abductions and killings? It all depends on the follow-up of these arrests – and may be more to come? – that is to say it all depends on the authorities to show seriousness and perseverance to restore security and the rule of law in the country thereby restoring confidence in their government of local residents.
(webmaster FVDK)

Tanzania: Police crackdown on rising ritual killings in Singida

The Tanzania Police Force spokesperson David Misime. PHOTO | COURTESY

Published: August 26, 2024
By: The Citizen, Tanzania

Source: Police crackdown on rising ritual killings in Singida

More:

Tanzania police arrest seven in connection with gruesome murders


Police spokesperson David Misime

Published: August 26, 2024
By: Sharon Sauwa – The Citizen, Tanzania
Sharon Sauwa is the The Citizen reporter based in Dodoma.

Source: Tanzania police arrest seven in connection with gruesome murders

And also:

Tanzania Police unveils shocking incidents of homicides, ritual killings

Police spokesperson David Misime

Published: August 24, 2024
By: The Citizen, Tanzania

Source: Tanzania Police unveils shocking incidents of homicides

And:

Opposition party Chadema demands judicial inquiry into abductions, ritual killings

Chadema national chairman Freeman Mbowe speaks during press conference in Dar es Salaam on August 22, 2024. PHOTO | SUNDAY GEORGE

Published: August 23, 2024
By: The Citizen, Tanzania

Source: Chadema demands judicial inquiry into abductions, killings

Map of Tanzania showing location of Singida region

Trial by ordeal reportedly kills six in Nimba County, Liberia

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Changes come slowly, if any, in Liberia. I know this relatively sparsely populated West African country and its 5.5 million people pretty well after following events and developments in this fascinating and sympathetic country since 1975. I have posted earlier on the topic of trial by ordeal, commonly called ‘sassywood trial’ in Liberia, which of course is forbidden, outlawed, but unfortunately persistent in local culture and the minds of superstitious people. See e.g. my post of August 29, 2020, on a woman in neighboring Grand Gedeh County who had died after reportedly taking ‘sassywood’ to clear her from witchcraft accusations.

Nimba County is located in northeastern Liberia and borders French-speaking Guinea and Ivory Coast (at least, the official language, of course the various ethnic groups speak their own languages). It cannot be ruled out, rather it is to be expected, that age-old traditions such as trial by ordeal also occurs in neighboring countries where the same ethnic groups including the Dan, also known as Gio and Mano, live.
(FVDK)

Liberia: Trial By Ordeal Reportedly Kills Six In Nimba County

Published: July 24, 2024
By: Jerry T. Myers, FrontPageAfrica

GBLOR DIALAH, Nimba – A woman identified as Golon Kruah, a resident of Dialah Town, reportedly died after consuming a substance given to her by an Ivorian traditional witchdoctor, Gweh Genlaly. The witchdoctor was brought to the town by local citizens to cleanse the area of witchcraft activities.

Gweh Genlaly administered sassywood to the woman after she allegedly confessed to being involved in witchcraft activities that had claimed several lives and caused suffering to others. According to an eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity, the sassywood was given to the deceased overnight. She died hours later and was immediately buried before the arrival of security personnel and local district leaders, who were alerted about the incident in the morning.

The Acting Paramount Chief of Gblor Clan, Oksen Troh, said he had earlier warned the witchdoctor and the youth hosting her in the community against administering sassywood. However, they violated his order and went ahead with the ritual overnight.

Mr. Troh explained that his refusal to allow the administration of sassywood was based on instructions from the County Administrative Officer, who had banned trial by ordeal in Liberia. After his objection, the citizens wrote a resolution to Mr. Daniel Zekpeh, the County Administrative Officer, during his visit to the clan. Zekpeh instructed them to give the document to Troh, but it was not given to him due to his strong opposition to sassywood.

Troh said late on Monday night, they brought a document to him to sign, authorizing them to administer the oath to Golon, but he refused. He was shocked to hear that a woman had died in the community after being given sassywood overnight, prompting him to call the police and the district commissioner.

Acting Paramount Chief Troh disclosed that Golon’s death brings the number of people who have died in Gblor Clan after taking an oath from the witchdoctor to six. He clarified that previous incidents were concealed and not reported to the police by the community, and he could not report them because he was not in authority at the time. (italics added by the webmaster FVDK.)

“In the first place, Gweh working here is not a bad thing, but I received an order from my CI [County Inspector] the other time. He told me that I should tell Gweh not to give an oath. She must cut sand, she must arrest witchcraft, she must treat people to get well, but she must not give an oath because the oath she gives can kill somebody, and Liberia law says nobody should kill someone. So Liberia law doesn’t agree with that oath,” Mr. Troh explained in Liberian colloquial.

He said upon learning about the woman’s death, he immediately informed the district commissioner of the incident and was instructed to inform Gweh and her followers to keep the body of the woman until authorities arrived to conduct tests before burial. However, to his surprise, the town hurriedly buried the woman before the district commissioner and the district coroner arrived.

Meanwhile, the ten men who signed the document authorizing Gweh to conduct the sassywood have been invited for questioning.

Trial by ordeal, known as ‘sassywood,’ is banned under national law but is still regarded as a legitimate form of justice by many Liberians. In this ritual, a suspect is subjected to intense pain and judged based on their reaction. Sometimes, a hot metal is used on the person’s leg, if it burns, they are found guilty. Sometimes poisonous liquid is used. If it kills the person, they are judged to be witch.

The UN has repeatedly warned that the practice undermines efforts to improve human rights in Liberia, as the country attempts to recover from 14 years of war.

Many legal specialists and human rights activists argue that the reliance on customs such as trial by ordeal—often harmful and even deadly—is due to the decrepit state of Liberia’s judicial system. They also contend that not enough is being done to restore the sector, which was left in tatters by the war.

Source: Liberia: Trial By Ordeal Reportedly Kills Six In Nimba County

Zimbabwe: public hearing for Death Penalty Abolition Bill

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Reportedly, there are 62 murderers on the death row in Zimbabwe. If the Death Abolition Bill will be passed, their death penalty will be commuted to life in prison.

Among those who will benefit from the proposed abolishment of the death penalty are the two convicted killers of a 7-year old boy, Tapiwa Makore, who was murdered for ritualistic purposes in 2020, a ritual murder which upset the entire nation. The boy was murdered by one of his uncles, Tapiwa Makore (60), and an accomplice, Tafadzwa Shamba (4), who were found guilty of the brutal murder and sentenced to death in 2023.

Last month Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s declared an amnesty by announcing his decision to commute the death sentences of prisoners at Zimbabwe’s maximum prisons to life imprisonment.

The last time that the death penalty was executed in Zimbabwe was in 2005.
(FVDK)

Public hearing dates set for Death Penalty Abolition Bill, week after Mnangagwa “saves” prisoners on roll

Published: May 3, 2024
By: Leopold Muntende

ZIMBABWEANS will, between May 6 and 10, be given an opportunity to share their views on the Death Penalty Abolition Bill in public hearings to be held across the country’s ten provinces.

Although independent of his decision, the hearings follow President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent decision to commute the death sentences of prisoners at Zimbabwe’s maximum prisons to life imprisonment in an amnesty announced last month.

According to the government, 62 people were on death row.

In February, Cabinet approved the principles to the Death Penalty Abolition Bill that seek to abolish capital punishment.

Committee on Human Rights have jointly announced a series of public hearings to discuss the death penalty,” said Parliament.

“These hearings aim to engage stakeholders, gather perspectives and guide potential legal reforms regarding three Bills currently before Parliament.”

Although Zimbabwe’s last execution was in 2005, the death sentence has, however, continued to be passed.

The Zimbabwean constitution allows for imposition of the death penalty in cases involving murder committed under aggravating circumstances and only on men between 21 and 70 years of age.

Cabinet’s decision to approve the principles of the Bill provoked discussions online with some arguing capital punishment must be maintained while citing cases such as that of Tapiwa Makore (7) whose head was hacked off by his uncle (Tapiwa Makore Snr) in a ritual killing that shocked the country in 2020.

Human rights organisations such as Amnesty International however declared the move progressive: “Zimbabwe has taken the right step towards ending this abhorrent and inhuman form of punishment that has no place in our world.”

The public hearings will also discuss the Criminal Law Amendment (Protection of Children and Young Persons) Bill “which aims to bring the law on sexual offences against minors into line with the Constitution” and the Administration of Estates Amendment Bill, “which seeks to restructure the office of the Master of the High Court.”

The schedule is copied below;

Team A:

  • Dates: From May 6 to May 10, 2024
  • Locations:

May 6, 2024: Kadoma Rimuka Hall

May 7, 2024: Gweru Mkoba Hall

May 8, 2024: Bulawayo Selborne Hotel

May 9, 2024: Lupane Community Hall

May 10, 2024: Filabusi Avoka

Team B:

  • Locations:

May 6, 2924: Tendai Hall, Bindura

May 7, 2024: Stodart Hall, Mbare

May 8, 2024: Mbuya Nehanda Hall, Marondera

May 9, 2024: Dangamvura Beit Hall

May 10, 2024: Masvingo Civic Center Hall, Masvingo

  • Time: All meetings start at 10:00 AM

Source: Public hearing dates set for Death Penalty Abolition Bill, week after Mnangagwa “saves” prisoners on roll

The plight of people with albinism in Zambia – a cry for protection and assistance

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Zambia’s Eastern Province is notoriously known for its ritualistic murders. Allegedly, the country’s Eastern Province records the highest number of ritualistic murder cases.

I’ve posted earlier on the plight of people with albinism in Zambia and the attacks on and murder of innocent people in this remote province of Zambia. In 2019, within a short period of time, two murder cases were reported. In March the following year, another gruesome murder was committed in the Eastern Province. In Chipata, the mutilated body of the albino victim was discovered with tongue, eyes and arms missing. The Executive Director of the National Albinism Initiative Network of Zambia, Ruth Zulu, deplored the stigmatization, discrimination and murder of people and published a plea for a legal framework to address this nationwide problem. In vain. The murders continued as the article below painfully demonstrates.

Katerina Mildnerova, a Czech social and cultural anthropologist, and Antonio Costa, an independent photojournalist originally from Mozambique, are to be commended for their initiative.
Read more about their cry for help and protection of people living with albinism in Zambia below.
(FVDK)

The plight of people with albinism in Zambia – a cry for protection and assistance

Published: May 10, 2024
By: Znesnáze – Olomouc / Organizer: Nadační fond pomoci

In the middle of the night, there was a pounding on the door. “Open up, Zambian police!” I see four masked men. They broke into the house where I was sleeping with my children. They pointed guns at me and threatened me, “If you scream, we’ll kill you.” Two of them dragged me behind the house and held a gun to my head. Then I heard a terrible scream. “Mommy, mommy, they chopped my sister’s arm!” My son sobbed with tears. At that moment, those two men threw me to the ground and started to run away. I came into the room and saw my daughter in a pool of blood…” 

The brutal attack on little Jemimah took place in June 2021 in the Northern Province of Zambia. The two-year-old girl lost her right arm, which was chopped off by unknown attackers with a machete. This case has not yet been investigated by the Zambian police and none of the attackers have been persecuted and sentenced. Jamimah lives with other children with albinism in an orphanage in the capital Lusaka. In the same year two other nine-year-old boys were ritually attacked and mutilated. One lost his right arm, the other his fingers. 

These stories are just some of the many we encountered during our research in 2023. 

Since 2015, Zambia has faced an increasing number of abductions, mutilations and ritual killings of people with albinism, in most cases defenceless children. Their body parts are used for making magical objects that are supposed to provide their owners with wealth, power or prestige. While these murders are most often committed by family members of the victims while still in Zambia, body parts are smuggled through organised crime networks into neighbouring countries – Malawi, Tanzania and Mozambique. The largest number of ritual killings of albinos occur in the Eastern Province, the poorest region of Zambia. The victims of the attacks, if they manage to escape, continue to live in permanent fear for their lives, as the perpetrators are not prosecuted in the vast majority of cases. After an attack, children are placed in state orphanages, where they receive temporary protection, they are removed from their natural family environment and have to cut off contact with their parents and siblings. 

In addition to the threat to their safety, people with albinism face enormous health risks due to the lack of medication and protective equipment. Skin and eye cancer is the most common cause of their premature deaths. Albinos in Zambia live to an average age of only 40 years, 22 years less than the national average.

Most affected families live at or below the extreme poverty line. They cannot afford to provide education for their children because safety and health care must understandably take priority. Families lack the means to afford school supplies, school uniforms or even just the dioptric glasses necessary for reading and writing at school. Yet education is the ticket to a better future, without the daily fear for one’s survival. In Zambia, there is a belief that a child with albinism is the result of infidelity and the source of a family curse, which unfortunately often leads to the mother and child being abandoned by the father and the wider family. A single mother‘s status is inevitably linked to a life of poverty and it is very difficult for her to break this vicious cycle.

FUNDRAISING

Fundraising is ongoing via the crowdfunding platform Znesnaze21 from May to September 2024. It is aimed at purchasing direct material assistance for the most vulnerable families living below the extreme poverty line in the Eastern Province of Zambia (single mothers, children, victims of ritual attacks). The purchase and transportation of the material aid will be arranged by the organizer of the fundraiser in collaboration with the Butterfly Foundation of Zambia – a non-profit organization that has assisted the most adversely affected families with albinism in the Eastern Province of Zambia since 2017.

Our assistance targets three main areas: 

Security. Ensuring the protection of homes – security locks on doors, window bars and fencing 

Health. Prevention of skin cancer – sunscreen factor 50+, sunglasses, hats

Education. Basic school supplies – notebooks, stationery, uniforms and dioptric glasses

ABOUT THE BORN DIFFERENT PROJECT

Born Different is a project by the Czech anthropologist Katerina Mildnerova and the Mozambican photojournalist Antonio Cossa under the auspices of Palacky University in Olomouc. It is based on the creative linking of art and science, cultural anthropology and photography and draws on a series of team fieldworks in Zambia and Benin (2023-2024). It includes a travelling photographic exhibition, lectures and forthcoming popular science book.

Our primary aim is to raise public awareness about injustice, discrimination and human rights violations against people with albinism in Africa, particularly in Zambia. We want to stimulate a discussion about protecting the lives and rights of people with albinism in order to stop the violence and ritual killings that happen every day and which do not receive adequate attention. We are also endeavouring to help to improve their extremely difficult living conditions through public charitable fundraising efforts.

For more information, visit our website at www.borndifferent.upol.cz

(available from 17. 5. 2024)

ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

Katerina Mildnerova is Czech social and cultural anthropologist specializing in sub-Saharan Africa. She holds a PhD in ethnology from the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. Since 2015 she has been working as a researcher and assistant professor at the Department of Sociology, Andragogy and Cultural Anthropology at Palacky University Olomouc. Since 2019 she is the president of the Czech Association of African Studies. She has conducted dozens of field researches in Zambia, Benin and Namibia and has lectured at several universities in Africa and Europe. She specializes in religious anthropology and medical anthropology. She is the author of dozens of academic articles and book chapters and five monographs of her own. She is co-author of the documentary film Black Czechs (2022) and founder of non-governmental organization Association for Support of Namibian Czechs. She is currently working on the project Born different with Antonio Cossa.

ANTONIO COSSA

An independent photojournalist originally from Mozambique, based in Prague. He has worked as a documentary photographer since 2004, collaborating with institutions such as the British Council and UNICEF. He has had a rich professional career focusing on war, refugee crisis and social issues. His work specializes in war conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, the refugee crisis on the Greek-Turkish border, documenting the situation of the Rohingya in Bangladesh and the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, he has been officially accredited by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence as a war photojournalist. In recent years he has also photographed climate refugees in Mozambique after Cyclone Idai. His latest project focuses on albino survivors of ritual attacks in Zambia. He is also a portrait photographer and has photographed many of the world’s most famous people, including Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Vaclav Havel, 

His portfolio includes dozens of exhibitions around the world, lectures and workshops for students and the general public. Antonio Cossa is also a founder of the non-governmental organization Frontline Care whose main objective is to support victims of climate change and war refugees.

Source: ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE WITH ALBINISM IN ZAMBIA!