An elderly woman, Ojo Kehinde accused of being a witch and transforming from a bird to a human in Oke-Ijeun, a community in Abeokuta South Local Government Area, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital has been lynched by mob
Penpushing reports that in the video clips titled “Full video of a Flying Bird that turns into a human being in Abeokuta’, circulating on social media showed the woman suspected to be in her 80’s, surrounded by the mob who rained curses on her and equally hitting her
The eight-minute clip, however, did not show the woman transforming into a human, as the video and its title suggest, but was seen visibly weak and looking rather haggard, apparently because of the beatings.
Penpushing further report that the plight of the woman started when a Prophetess from a church within the area first raised the alarm that she transformed into a human from a bird, claiming that the bird fell on the roof of her church before changing into humanbeing.
The Prophetess was quoted saying that she was praying when the incident happened, while the victim after been beaten blue and black by the mob, was struggling to speak due to her weakness.
Penpushing also reports that Death the Director of the Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AFAW), Leo Igwe, however, said as at the time of filing this report the woman had died as a result of the beatings by the mob.
The Director of advocacy group campaigning for an end to witch persecution in Africa stated that there were still blood stains while she was being rescued, adding that the Prophetess was at some point hitting her on the head.
Penpushing reports that Igwe said the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Police headquarters at Eleweran, Abeokuta, while the son of the woman, Kabir Kehinde, disclosed that the Prophetess, who first raised the alarm, has been arrested by the police, faulting the claim that his mother transformed from a bird, and that she was not a witch.
The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) equally faulted the accusation and attack on the woman, and urged Nigerians to realise that no human being turns into a bird, snake, or cat as popularly believed, .
“The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) in a statement urged Nigerians to realise that no human being turns into a bird, snake, or cat as popularly believed. The misconception that a human being can turn into a bird remains a popular superstition. The notion that a human being could magically turn or transform into a bird or cat is counterintuitive’, he said.
Penpushing further reports that he pointed out that the viral video clips of the mob action against the woman have illustrated the grip of superstition on the minds of Nigerians despite modern education, emphasizing that the superstition contradicts the fundamentals of science and logic studied in schools.
The AFAW director regretted that religions often preach, peddle, and reinforce the idea he described as “baseless and nonsense. Nigerians often use this misconception to justify murder, torture and maltreatment of elderly persons, including those suffering from dementia and other mental health challenges. AfAW urges Nigerians to abandon these superstitions and embrace science and critical thinking’, the statement read
Penpushing also reports that the Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer Omolola Odutola, a Superintendent of Police as at the time of filing this report was yet to issue any official statement on the development, but sources said the Prophetess had been arrested over the incident.
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