Amnesty International Condemns Killing of Benue Grandfather

Amnesty International Nigeria condemned the killing of 80-year-old Ordue Ikye, who was beaten to death by a mob in Tse-Ikye, Gbemacha Council Ward, Gwer Local Government Area of Benue State, over allegations of witchcraft. The accusations arose after the death of a younger relative, Aker Aleva, who died in hospital following an illness.

Amnesty stated that Ikye denied the accusations until his death, emphasizing the tragic consequences of such baseless claims. The organization described the incident as a reminder of the dangers of mob justice and urged Nigerian authorities to conduct a transparent and impartial investigation.

Amnesty International highlighted that accusations of witchcraft often stem from family or community dynamics following tragic events and disproportionately affect older individuals, particularly those living in poverty or with disabilities. The rights group called for the Federal and Benue State governments to implement awareness campaigns to combat discrimination against older people and urged security agencies to identify and prosecute the perpetrators of the mob attack.