The Nigeria Consultative Forum (NCF), has condemned in strong term the burying of a man alive in Alor, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The Executive Director of NCF, Dede Uzor A Uzor, in a statement described the action as a gruesome and abuse of the man’s human rights.
Although the man was not actually buried, said the group, the digging of grave was symbolic suggesting that the man had died spiritually, stressing that it was “wrong, wicked and devilish” for the people to have dugged pit, put something in it and covered it especially some Elders of the community.
In Igbo customs and traditions, NCF said, that act suggest that they had buried the man alive. “They dealt emotional and spiritual blow to the man.
This is true considering that the spiritual controls the physical, they said: “We therefore call on the leadership of Alor community and the Anambra State Government through the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Local Government to address this satanic act by bringing the perpetrators to book”
“The Anambra State Police should not allow this to go unpublished. This should not be allowed in this 21st century in Igbo land.
They should try the people directly and indirectly involved to for trial by ordeal among other charges” said NCF.
But if the man eventually dies, said NCF, those who performed that rituals must be prosecuted for murder.
The rights group said:We are surprised that such a thing happened in Alor community because the President General is a stunch human rights activist.
Such obnoxious practices should be condemned in all its ramifications”.
“We believe there are lots of avenues within the customs and traditions of the community through which the perpetrators of this heinous act can seek redress rather than this satanic judgment and condemnation” they said.
They urged the victim not to sleep on his right but to seek redress in a court, an action, they said they had reliably gathered that the victim was already seeking redress using every available legal means. Dede Uzor advised