- Following investigations, AfAW confirmed the event occurred in Delta, not Anambra, and contacted local authorities. Police, along with Sen. Ned Nwoko’s office, intervened to ensure Diokpa received medical attention.
The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) has debunked viral claims that a 97-year-old man in Delta State transformed from a bird into a human, clarifying that the man, Diokpa Okonkwo Oru, suffers from dementia.
The incident gained attention after a video alleged that Diokpa landed on a roof in Uzebu Iko at 1 a.m. and “turned into a human,” reviving old accusations of occultism.
AfAW Director, Leo Igwe, criticised the narrative: “Imagine the mentality of the person who wrote this and shared on the internet in this 21st century… This reflects a pervasive mindset in Nigeria, and by extension Africa.”
Following investigations, AfAW confirmed the event occurred in Delta, not Anambra, and contacted local authorities. Police, along with Sen. Ned Nwoko’s office, intervened to ensure Diokpa received medical attention.
The Ogbe-Ofu Youth Development Association condemned the abuse: “It is painful and unacceptable that some youths… flogged, recorded, and humiliated a helpless elder suffering from dementia,” their statement read. They demanded disciplinary action and an apology to Diokpa’s family.
Highlighting the dangers of such beliefs, AfAW warned: “When people suffering from dementia are seen loitering on the streets, people brand them witches who are going or returning from the coven. So accused, people with dementia are attacked or killed, usually after they have been forced to confess and admit to having killed or harmed people through occult means.”
The group concluded: “People with dementia are not witches. They do not turn into birds… They should be treated with love, care, dignity, and respect.”
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