If witches were horses, at least four men would never
ride. The four included two personnel of the Nigerian
Air Force, corporals Michael Williams and Akwaowo
William; Uduak William who works with the Nigeria
Police and the fourth, Ekereobong William, a civilian.
They are brothers. They stripped Unclad their uncle,
Mr. Polycarp William, and his wife, Mrs. Anna William,
after beating them up. The offence of the
septuagenarians is ‘alleged witchcraft’.
The attackers reportedly drove the couple from Ediene
Abak, Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom
State, after stripping them Unclad and made them
walk on the streets. In their estimation, that was a
just humiliation for the couple that they accused of
being behind their stagnation in their chosen careers.
As far as they are concerned, the couple deserve the
punishment.
We wonder what the fate of the elderly couple would
have been if not for civilisation and the law. Perhaps
the septuagenarians would have been visited with the
death penalty prescribed for witches in the Old
Testament. The couple eventually relocated from the
community to Ikot Obio Inyang village in Etinan Local
Government Area of the state, where they are now
taking refuge.
Mrs Williams put the issue in perspective: “We were
stripped Unclad, ordered to sit on bare floor. They
tied my neck with dried plantain leaves and hired a
cameraman to take my pictures.” This corroborated
an eyewitness account that: ”There were bruises on
Anna’s knees as the men dragged her on the ground.
She and her husband were ordered out of their home
and community.” Her sister was not spared as she
was also dragged out of the house. Not satisfied, the
men reportedly destroyed some economic trees and a
Volvo 740 saloon car belonging to their uncle.
It is a matter for regret that people who should know,
are the very ones perpetrating this type of brutality
with impunity. As air force personnel, Michael and
Akwaowo represent the most scientific of all the
armed forces. They belong to what we know as the
elite force in the country. As for the policeman among
them, Uduak, he is expected to enforce the law. If he
too could be involved in this barbarity, what moral
right would he have to enforce the law against
anyone involved in such act? As they say, ‘if gold
rusts, what would iron do’?
The four men manifested the worst in some of our
uniformed personnel who see the arms they carry as
mere toys that they can play with at any time. For
instance, they were said to have threatened to shoot
those who might have wanted to rescue the couple
when they were assaulting them. “They beat them
and threatened to shoot anyone who intervened in the
matter. They cocked their guns to show their
seriousness. It was a terrible Monday”, the
eyewitness added.
With the matter now reported at the police station, we
expect the law to take its course. Nothing should be
done to give the impression that the case would be
swept under the carpet because uniformed personnel
are involved. It is regrettable that in some parts of the
country, some people will, in this age, want to take
the law into their hands because of some
superstitious beliefs which are oftentimes unfounded
or not supported by any scientific proofs.
If we must put a stop to the practice of people
assaulting others on account of witchcraft, then we
have to make scapegoats of those involved in such
acts as well as continue to enlighten the people that
such beliefs belonged in the realm of superstition.
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