In a chilling scene straight out of a nightmare, tension boiled over in Inyanya village, Bekwara LGA of Cross River State, where a man identified as Ulim Lobe was forced into a coffin alongside the corpse of a man he was accused of killing through alleged mystical means. The incident, which occurred on Monday, has sent shockwaves across the region and sparked heavy conversations about fear, superstition, and the desperate measures communities take when they believe justice has failed them.

According to eyewitnesses, a group of angry youths seized Ulim and compelled him to lie face-down on the shrouded corpse. A white substance was smeared across his face, and the mood around the scene carried the weight of years of unresolved grief and suspicion. Many villagers believe recent unexplained deaths have links to witchcraft — and Ulim, they said, was “found” to be responsible for the latest tragedy.

Residents who spoke to reporters confirmed the disturbing event. Theresa Abibu, a local schoolteacher, said the community was fed up with a string of sudden deaths and decided to confront what they believed to be the source. “They felt he needed to taste what he served,” she said, noting that even though he was later removed from the coffin, many believed the ordeal itself was enough to seal his fate.

Community elders and youths reportedly backed the action, insisting it was a necessary step to break the cycle of death they blamed on spiritual attacks. Even more shocking, the victim’s family allegedly supported the act, believing they had long been targeted by dark forces and that the deceased and the accused were blood relatives.

When approached, police officers at the Ugboro Divisional Headquarters kept their lips sealed, insisting they had no information about the incident — a silence that raises even more questions about law enforcement’s reach in rural communities where traditional beliefs still dominate local justice systems.

The incident has reignited debates about mob actions, the dangers of superstition, and the urgent need for stronger institutions capable of handling sensitive cases where fear and frustration often push people toward extreme measures.