Police officers and local vigilantes in Imo State have been accused of raiding the home of a 70-year-old man, Mr. Joseph Ottih, over a dispute involving a traditional religious object known as Agwu, allegedly assaulting him, shooting his daughter, and extorting money from his wife.
According to the family, the incident followed their refusal to remove the Agwu ritual object from their compound. The dispute reportedly escalated after a relative demanded the object’s removal, claiming it posed a spiritual threat. The family alleged that the relative later mobilised vigilante members and officers from the Imo State Police Command’s anti-kidnapping unit, known as Tigerbase, to forcibly seize the object.
Mr. Ottih said police officers and vigilantes broke into his compound, assaulted him with a firearm, slapped his daughter, and shot her in the leg. He further alleged that he was later attacked again by the same relative, who reportedly threatened his family with a machete and pistol.
The family said mobs later vandalised their property, destroyed fruit trees and facilities, and forced them to flee the community. On January 3, Mr. Ottih’s wife, Oby Ottih, was reportedly arrested at a market by vigilantes and handed over to Tigerbase officers, where she was detained until January 7. She said she was released only after her family paid ₦150,000.
Human rights advocates described the incident as witchcraft persecution enabled by law enforcement. Leo Igwe, Director of Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW), said witchcraft accusations are illegal and accused the police of protecting complainants instead of alleged victims.
AfAW said officers justified their actions by citing local tradition, a position the group said contradicts constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and belief. The organisation also alleged that police are working with complainants to prosecute the family for attempted murder and assault, accusations the group described as baseless.
AfAW has pledged legal support for the Ottih family and called for urgent police reform, warning that failure to address superstition-driven violence would allow similar abuses to continue.
