A 65 year old woman in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto state was reportedly flogged with twelve strokes as punishment for allegedly practicing witchcraft.
The victim, Zainab Labbo, according to some residents in an interview with Jourlistsa, was flogged at the palace of the District Head, Alhaji Nasiru Malami Ahmed, in response to a complaint lodged against her by a daughter-in-law.
It was said that victim’s daughter-in-law had lodged a complaint before the traditional ruler last year, alleging her mother-in-law of aiding her son (name withheld) through diabolical means to maltreat her.
The residents revealed that the palace authorities summarily tried the accused and found her guilty of the allegation leveled against her.
The aged woman denied the allegation to journalists who were there to investigate the incident. She also confirmed that twelve strokes were administered on her by the palace guards on the order of the District Head.
Confirming the incident, the aggrieved residents at a press conference said that the woman was not the first victim to suffer such an unjust treatment by palace authorities.
They added that many residents have been invited to the palace and summarily tried for one offence or the other.
“Our people are under siege by the gross and jungle justice of the palace authorities but nobody was ready to speak out before now.
“We are just courageous enough to invite you people (journalists) to Isa town and see things for yourselves. We have decided to tell the whole world what we are passing through at Isa district. To let the whole world khow we are being subjected to a jungle justice system by the palace authorities”, the locals complained.
A resident of the town, Alhaji Sani Dallatu, also accused the younger brother of the District Head, Alhaji Aliyu Sarkin-Yamma, for “sponsoring an attack on him”.
This, he alleged, led to the destruction of his vehicle and the damage of some windows of his house.
Another victim, Alhaji Umar Kwambe, an Education Officer of Bargaja area in Isa Local Government Education Authority, said he lost N1 million to hoodlums allegedly “sponsored” to attack him by the District Head.
The stolen money, according to the victim, was meant for the payment of the August 2015 salaries of 53 primary school teachers whose salaries ranged from N10,000 to N60,000.
They called on the state governor, Rt. Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and His Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, to come to their aid, as a matter of urgeny.
When contacted, the District Head, Alhaji Nasiru Malami Ahmed, could not be reached for comment, as palace guards confirmed that he was away for other engagements.
However, reacting on behalf of the District Head, Alhaji Aliyu Sarkin-Yamma, who is his younger brother and Village Head of Tsabre area, described the the allegations as “unfounded”.
The Village Head explained that all disputes lodged at the palace are handled in accordance with the dictates of Shari’ah Law.
He said both himself and his brother are running the affairs of the people with the absolute fear of God, saying, “we are only dispensing justice in accordance with Shari’ah Law and we are not afraid of any probe in this direction.”
The Divisional Police Officer in the area, Mr Ilyasu Tanko, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), confirmed the receipt of the complaints of attacks from Kwambe and Dallatu, adding that the police is appropriately investigating the matter.
