By CHRISTIAN NJOKU

TwoNon-Governmental Organisations, the Community Initiative for Peace and Social Development (CIPSD) and Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (?IND), have come together to fight witchcraft branding in Cross River communities.

Dr Charles Itu, Programme Director of CIPSD, said this on Monday during an interview with journalists in Calabar on the coalition?s activities.

Itu said the practice of stigmatisation of individuals, particularly aged persons and children, under accusations of witchcraft, was becoming worrisome and should be tackled.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the issue of witchcraft branding has been a major concern in Cross River.

In the past few months, some elderly people in some communities have been beaten and lynched, while children have been abandoned or sent away from their homes on accusations of being witches.

The programme director, who spoke about their visit to different communities in Odukpani, Akamkpa and Yakurr Local Government Areas of Cross River, said such harmful cultural practices continued to erode social cohesion and violate human rights.

According to him, local beliefs often attribute misfortunes, illnesses or deaths to supernatural causes, leading to branding vulnerable individuals as witches.

?This harmful narrative is exacerbated by unregulated traditional healers and spiritualists who exploit these fears for personal gain.

?Aged parents are often ostracised, abused and stripped of the familial support they need mostly during their twilight years while even more heartbreaking, is the plight of children accused of witchcraft,? he said.

Speaking further, he stated that such activities were responsible for creating a humanitarian crisis as the children who were left to fend for themselves were exposed to exploitations and deprived of basic education and care.

He said the practice was not only rooted in traditional beliefs but also fueled by modern evangelical movements that perpetuate fear of spiritual possession, thereby creating vulnerable groups and stalling community development.

He said their campaigns were aimed at educating residents about the adverse effects of stigmatisation and harmful traditions on social cohesion and development.

?During our capacity-building sessions, 60 persons across Akamkpa, Odukpani and Yakurr LGAs were trained to serve as peace advocates.

?Across the communities in the three LGAs, we were able to enlighten 744 participants in our three-day campaigns to take the message back to their families,? he said. (NAN)