Crime News
Suspected ritualist k!lls widow, cuts off pr!vat€ parts
A horrific incident unfolded in the Umuediabali area of Ahiazu Mbaise, Imo State, South-East Nigeria, where a 55-year-old widow named Eucharia Chidi Obasi was reportedly killed by a suspected ritualist who also mutilated her body.
The attack occurred on Wednesday when the suspect allegedly entered the widow’s residence, where she lived alone. According to local sources, the assailant abducted and murdered her, severing parts of her body.
Following the initial killing, the suspect reportedly attempted to attack another woman in a nearby apartment but was apprehended. “The woman raised an alarm, and neighbors came to her rescue. A mob overpowered the assailant and beat him to death,” a source shared with SaharaReporters on Thursday.
Another witness described the grisly details: “The suspected ritualist came in around midnight, abducted her from her apartment, murdered and cut off the breast, private organs, and other parts of the body.” After targeting a second woman, the assailant was caught and killed by locals before security officials were informed.
Ahiazu Mbaise, a local government area in Imo State, comprises 14 towns, including Mpam, Ihitte Afor, Opara-Nadim, and Akabor, with Afo-oru as its administrative center.
In response to the tragic event, the Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) condemned the murder. AfAW’s executive director, Leo Igwe, issued a statement emphasizing the harmful superstition surrounding ritual killings in Nigeria. “Ms. Obasi’s brutal killing underscores the potency of belief in human and ritual sacrifice among Nigerians,” Igwe noted, urging citizens to reject such beliefs. “AfAW appeals to all Nigerians to eschew these misconceptions, to desist from these criminal and atrocious acts, abandon superstition and irrationalism, and embrace reason, science, and critical thinking.”
(SAHARAREPORTERS)