A 65 year old woman identified as Zainab Labbo was
allegedly flogged with twelve strokes as punishment for
practicing witchcraft in Isa Local Government Area of
Sokoto state.
According to The Sun, Zainab was flogged at the palace
of the District Head, Alhaji Nasiru Malami Ahmed, in
response to a complaint lodged against her by her daughter-
in-law. Residents of the community say Zainab's daughter-
in-law had lodged a complaint before the district head last
year, alleging that her mother-in-law was aiding her son
to maltreat her through diabolical means.
The palace authority summarily tried the accused and found
her guilty of the allegation leveled against her...
Zainab
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.
Aggrieved members of the village recently held a press
conference where they stated 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. They accused the District head, Alhaji Nasiru
Malami Ahmed of high handedness. They called on the
state governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and His
Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, to come to their
aid, as a matter of urgency.
However in response to the allegations of maltreatment, the
younger brother to the district head, Alhaji Aliyu Sarkin-
Yamma, and Village Head of Tsabre area, described the
the allegations as “unfounded”. He 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), when
contacted, confirmed the receipt of the complaints of attacks
from the villagers and said that the police is appropriately
investigating the matter.
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