Daily Trust

Police trailing killers of 3 elders burnt alive in C/River

- From Eyo Charles, Calabar

The Commission­er of Police in Cross River State, Uche Anozia has deployed detachment­s of policemen into the Oku community in Boki LGA of Cross River State where three elderly citizens were burnt alive.

Spokespers­on of the state’s police command, Irene Ugbo, who confirmed the deployment, said that one elderly woman was killed.

At least 20 senior citizens who were accused of witchcraft were burnt but three of them died, according to eye witnesses in the Oku community of Okundi town.

The police denied the allegation that a political appointee of the state government was the brain behind the public ceremony of setting on fire those suspected to be witches and wizards in the community.

"Following the incident, the commission­er has since deployed our men to be on the trail of the perpetrato­rs. We are yet to identify any of them. But we will certainly fish out those behind the act.

"We are not certain if the allegation against the suspected special adviser to Gov Ayade is correct," the spokespers­on said.

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