For this year’s World Day Against Witch Hunts, AfAW draws attention to the infamous and despicable role of religious leaders in this problem. AfAW urges the public to resist these medieval throwbacks and charlatans. The public should oppose and denounce any witch hunting program or prayer session because they cause confusion, destroy lives, and wreak havoc in our communities.
AfAW is focusing on the role of religious leaders because many incidents of witch-hunting have been linked to pastors, priests, diviners, imams, prophets, and prophetesses. These religious actors claim to have powers to identify and overwhelm ‘witches’. Meanwhile there is no evidence for that. Some godmen and women carry out witch hunts or motivate suspecters and believers to accuse and persecute alleged witches. Fearers and believers in witchcraft consult and get them to confirm their suspicions. Some families and communities hire witch hunters at a fee. They invite them to come and cleanse and purge their places of these occult forces. These self-acclaimed witch-finders accuse innocent individuals who are subsequently attacked, tortured, or murdered.
Witch hunters incite, sanctify, and perpetrate horrific abuses with impunity in the community. Unfortunately, they are seldom arrested, prosecuted, or brought to justice.
Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches.