Last year many of us were shocked after hearing about the man who beheaded brother in Nigeria. Well, the 25-year-old man, Atagan Danladi, accused of beheading his brother after alleging that he killed their father through witchcraft back in2021, was ordered to be remanded in a correctional centre by a High Court in Jos. Danladi, who resides in Bomo village in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau, was charged by the police with culpable homicide.
Did the man that beheaded his brother in Nigeria plead guilty?
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge, and Justice Arum Ashoms adjourned the matter until November 16 for hearing. In a statement made to the police and presented in court, Danladi later confessed to killing his brother Timothy after he admitted to killing their father through witchcraft. Danladi also stated that his niece’s death was a consequence of Timothy’s actions.
Danladi’s arraignment in a High Court in Jos, Plateau State, has shed light on the dangers of superstition and the need for education on the harmful effects of witchcraft accusations in Nigeria. The case has also highlighted the need for measures to promote peaceful resolution of conflicts among family members.
The tragic incident occurred in Bomo village, an area in Plateau State, North-Central Nigeria, and has sparked outrage among community members, who are calling for justice for the deceased and for measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Witchraft in Nigeria
In Nigeria, every ethnic group has its own terms for individuals, both male and female, believed to be working in collaboration with dark forces to cause harm to others, whether openly or in secret. The words “witch” and “wizard” in English do not adequately convey the depth of evil associated with such people. They are often blamed for various afflictions, ranging from illness to infertility, poverty, and failure.
The belief in and disgust for witchcraft is so deeply rooted that a section of the Nigerian criminal code, originally introduced under British colonial rule, still prohibits its practice, with offenders facing a prison sentence.
Although reports of convictions are rare, stories of people being accused of witchcraft and subsequently brutalized or lynched are frequently featured in the media. Human rights organizations denounce these killings, stating that superstitious beliefs lead to the loss of innocent lives, often women and children. Witchcraft-related events leading to an uproar in Nigeria are not new. In fact, belief in witchcraft is widespread in Nigeria, particularly in rural areas.
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