Government succours Gushegu ‘Witches’

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty has began payment of allowances to alleged witches at Gushegu following a mammoth street protest by the camped aged folks.

The inmates have also been enrolled into the E -zwich payment system to avoid further difficulties in payment and financial malfeasance, district authorities have said.

Work at the Gushegu district assembly temporarily halted on Monday, June 14 when the alleged witches angrily invaded the premises and amidst chanting dirges demanding payment of their two years LEAP allowance.

During the protest leader of the inmates at Leli Dabari Alimatu Sadia told Ultimate News they lived on unripe fruits and “grass” for survival.

“We don’t work here so we don’t have anything to depend on. When day break everyone is struggling. We go into the bush and eat Shea fruits even the unripe one or we bring ayoyo home pound it and with little salt we prepare tuo zafi with it,’ they bemoaned.

There are three camps in the Gushegu district offering sanctuary to over 160 inmates in the area accused of witchcraft.

The camps are found in three different communities- Kpatinga, Nabuli and Leli’ Dabari where mostly women have been forced in exile due to the continuing belief in witchcraft.

Ultimate News’ Northern regional Correspondent Eliasu Tanko visited the camps again after the rather reluctant intervention by government and reports that inmates were filled with joy.

According to Eliasu,the intervention has provided a relieve to the inmates who have lived many years of unspeakable suffering.

Adam Musah Tindana, caretaker of the Kpatinga camp said “we are happy for that because I and the women here we are suffering too much”

“We are trying to tell some people to also help us to come out and get food and school dress for our children. We will use the money for food and dress”.

The Gushegu district social welfare officer Mr. Tia Dokurugu also said the package will mitigate the troubles of the inmates.


“It was a problem for but for now we are all free. It will improve their lives because they don’t have any support from elsewhere, so when they were taking the money they were happy, dancing and thanking government”

Despite the intervention, Ultimate News has observed inmates are still living under sad and disturbing conditions.

Some of them looking haggard tramp more than 30kms from their camp to the township to sweep market, people’s homes and beg for food.

The camps are without electricity, healthcare and clean drinking water with inmates sharing their dilapidated thatch structures with reptiles and insects.