The Accusation and Sudden Confrontation

An 80-year-old man, Ordue Ikye, has allegedly been beaten to death by a mob in Benue State after he was accused of causing the death of a younger relative through witchcraft. The incident occurred in Gbemacha Council Ward, Mbavior, Mbasar, Tse-Ikye, within the Gwer Local Government Area. The tragedy reportedly began after Aker Aleva, a man in his 30s and a relative of Ikye, died following a sudden illness after returning from watching football.

According to an account obtained by the Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) from the deceased’s son, suspicion fell on Ikye immediately following Aleva's death. What began as an accusation of supernatural involvement quickly escalated into a deadly confrontation involving members of the community. The AfAW has since petitioned the Benue State Police Command to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the elderly man's death.

Violence and Mob Action

The deceased's son reported that he arrived at the scene to find a group of people, allegedly led by Youth President Atim Iwen and Utim Akpa, confronting his father. The petition alleges that two large fires were lit on both sides of Ikye, forcing him to stand between them while being interrogated about Aleva's death. Despite the elderly man's denial of any involvement, the mob's aggression intensified.

I did not know what had happened or why Aker Aleva had died.

— Ordue Ikye, Victim, Community Resident

Following his denial, some individuals reportedly suggested that Ikye should be killed regardless of his guilt to serve as an example. Members of the mob subsequently picked up logs and began beating the octogenarian. The witness stated that his father was beaten mercilessly until he died, while he was too frightened to intervene for fear of being attacked himself.

Whether Ordue Ikye was responsible for the death or not, he should be killed... an example should be made of him.

— Velumun Taasar, Alleged Participant, Community Member

Intimidation and Suppression of Evidence

In the aftermath of the killing, the body was taken to a mortuary in Ikpayongo. The AfAW further alleged that a subsequent community meeting convened by the traditional authority, Zaki Agiya Jubu, focused only on the death of Aker Aleva and ignored the lynching of Ikye. When the victim's son attempted to document the meeting, he was reportedly harassed and his evidence was destroyed.

The petition claims that individuals acting under the Ortar's direction forcibly seized the witness's phone, compelled him to provide his password, and deleted all recorded videos and photographs. This environment of intimidation, coupled with financial difficulties, has reportedly prevented the family from formally reporting the murder to the authorities until the intervention of the AfAW.

Demands for Justice and Human Rights Protection

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches has urged the Benue State Police to protect the vulnerable witnesses and investigate the roles of those identified in the petition. The organization emphasized that unexplained illnesses or deaths should never be treated as proof of supernatural interference and warned of the grave human rights violations resulting from such accusations.

An unexplained illness or death cannot constitute evidence that another person caused the death through supernatural means.

— Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW), Petitioner, Human Rights Organisation

The AfAW called for the prosecution of all individuals found criminally responsible for the killing and the preservation of all medical and mortuary records. For now, the circumstances surrounding Ordue Ikye’s death remain allegations requiring formal police verification, highlighting the dangerous intersection of unverified beliefs and mob justice.