When Demons Attack!

'Demons' Wreak Havoc in North

from The Nambian

NAMIBIA, Africa - Many people in the North are fearful about a spate of incidents where what they call demons are terrorising people with mysterious phenomena.

More than 10 pastors and school authorities are struggling to deal with cases of bewitchment at schools and in villages.

A 17-year-old schoolgirl from Oshidhiya village says she cannot wear clothing because it catches fire spontaneously.

Johannes Nghidipo (21) from Elyalyatika village is in the Oshakati Hospital with feet so burnt that they may have to be amputated.

And 41 schoolchildren - 39 girls and two boys - at Mumbwenge Combined School near Oshigambo are falling to the ground in school, screaming for Satan to leave them alone.

"We really do not know what to do," Helena Makili, the Principal of Mumbwenge Combined School, told The Namibian yesterday.

She said that the whole school - 514 pupils from Grade 1 to 10, 16 teachers, two cleaners and a secretary - is stunned by the phenomenon.

"This has never happened at our school and we are praying to our Lord to stop these demons as soon as possible," Makali said.

The school has called in parents and had meetings, and then decided to take the concerned children to Onandjokwe Hospital, where no illness was found. The principal decided to contact pastors from different churches and seven have come to pray over the children.

Pastors all tried praying, laying hands on the children who are falling and screaming, but nothing has stopped the "demons."

Children continue to fall, and to scream.

"All those pastors who came couldn't stop the demons and the children continue to be molested by these demons," Makili told The Namibian.

She said that the children are seeing a black thing with a long stick.

"Go away Satan, leave us and our teachers, Satan, we were sent to school by our parents to learn and not to be molested by you," the children apparently call and scream when this starts, said Makili.

"We are still calling to all Namibians and the whole world to come and help us in this big problem," Makili said.

The Principal of Ozizi Combined School told The Namibian that one of the schoolgirls is being molested by some mysterious phenomenon. Her clothing always catches fire when she is at her parents' home. A source from this girl's village told The Namibian, that when this starts, she has to be naked to avoid getting burnt.

Klaudia Silas (45) from Epangu village told The Namibian that her son, Johannes Nghidipo, mysteriously burnt both his feet at a witchdoctor's house last Thursday night.

"I was told by his doctors that both feet will be amputated. I really do not know what that witchdoctor has done to my son," Silas said.

Nghidipo told The Namibian that he did not know what happened to him during that night.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Nghidipo said when he woke up the next morning he noticed that both his feet were seriously burnt.

"I didn't feel pain, although I was seriously burnt, only later I started to feel pain. Nobody could explain how was I burnt and why."