Community in Ebonyi State banish man over alleged witchcraft

A man identified simply as Ezemou, was on Wednesday banished from the Ngwongwo village, Ishiagu community, in the Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State over allegation of witchcraft.

Ezemuo was sent packing after he was allegedly caught chanting incantations at the entrance to a Chinese mining firm located near a junction connecting Ebonyi and Enugu states in the Ishiagu area

According to PUNCH, the man hails from Abia State, but was living in the community and engaged in selling of clothes.

A member of the Ebonyi State Security Neighbourhood Watch in the area, Mr. Aja Mgbo, who confirmed the development, said that the suspect was caught in the act, adding that he confessed to being in the business of witchcraft for years.

Mgbo said, “We caught the man chanting incantations at the junction, the one that connects us to Enugu State. He was chanting incantations near a new Chinese company there. It was the people inside the company, who first saw him and drew the attention of the villagers to him. After searching him, we saw some fetish items on him.

“When the people started beating him, he confessed to having indulged in witchcraft. He said he had caused many people to be involved in accidents. He also said he used to buy goods and make the sellers forget to ask him for money, and confessed to other atrocities.

“Nobody knew that he was into such things. He was selling clothes at a local market and had lived here for a long time. He was living in a rented apartment at Ngwongwo, which is my village.

“I don’t think he is married, because he was not living with any woman. That was why our people expelled him because we don’t need such people. We used a car and a tricycle to pack his belongings and sent him away.”

As of the time of filing the report, Police are yet to confirm the incident.