Abdulkareem Garba: Advocate of the Year 2023 -By Leo Igwe

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches is pleased to announce Mr. Abdulkareem Garba as its Advocate of the Year for 2023. Mr Garba works with the Federal Road Safety Commission. He is at the Zariagi unit command in Kogi state. The Advocacy for Alleged Witches campaigns to end witch hunting and other abuses linked to occult, ritual, or magical beliefs. Those who entertain witchcraft fears and anxieties often act with impunity towards the accused. They attack, kill, lynch, or murder the alleged, including those suspected to be in league with those perpetrating some harmful magic. Suspicions of occult harm have motivated people to perpetrate savage attacks, and the killing of many innocent persons. Accused persons suffer horrific abuses because, in many cases, nobody intervenes to save or defend the accused. No one tries to stop the murderers of suspected witches or ritualists. People fear to restrain the lynch mob.

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches instituted the Advocate of the Year award to recognize the courage and heroic efforts of individuals, and to incentivize interventions to save the lives of accused persons. The award has been extended to police officers who were injured while they were trying the protect persons accused of witchcraft in Malawi. In Nigeria, a nurse in Cross River state received the award for 2022 for intervening and helping save the life of a woman who was accused of witchcraft, abducted, and taken to be murdered in a bush by her relatives.

Mr. Garba has been chosen as the advocate of the year for 2023 in recognition of his courage and timely intervention that saved the lives of James Paul and Sani Yahaya (photo attached). James and Sani were accused of magically disappearing the manhood of a keke driver in Lokoja, Kogi state. Recently, allegations of magical disappearance of sexual organs and other body parts have been rampant. These accusations have led to mob attacks, beating, and lynching of the accused in Abuja, Cross River, Nasarawa, and other states in Nigeria. The police have warned against making false accusations and taking mob actions against any suspects.

On September 21, 2023, James and Sani were going to work when they were accused of magically stealing the manhood of a driver. A local mob beat them terribly and poured fuel on them. The mob was about to lynch the two young men when Mr. Garba arrived. Garba knelt and pleaded with the mob to spare the lives of James and Sani. Mr. Garba prevailed on the angry youths, and they eventually spared the lives of these young men. This award is in recognition of this intervention, and the fact that Mr. Garba risked his life to save the lives of James and Sani. Congratulations, Mr. Abdulkareem Garba.

Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches