Two Women arrested in a crack-down on pipe smokers in Zombo

Two women found practicing pipe smoking from  Jupandika East and Solia cells, Nyibola ward, Paidha Town Council Zombo District have been apprehended by the leadership of Paidha Town Council.

This was after authorities in Paidha Town Council,  launched a serious crackdown on the practice of pipe smoking and witchcraft practices in the town on Wednesday 24 January 2024.

Authorities deem the act” unlawful and unreligious” 

The LC3 chairperson of Paidha Town Council  Innocent Godfred Onega, who is behind the operation identified the two arrested as ” Yoacel Conslate 30, and Rachiw Immaculate 28″.

One suspect who was an expectant mother escaped the arrest upon noticing the authorities’ presence.

Onega asserted that the operation is going to continue to weed out “the evil practice and witch doctors shall not be spared either”.

He warned those practising it to immediately desist from the act and seek God’s face in case of challenges.

Pipe smoking is a common practice, especially among women. It’s reported that they practice smoking it with a belief that it gives them partners they are interested in either marrying or wooing as partners and that they smoke it whilst calling names of their partners at the time they need them. This claim is hard to independently verify.

The two are currently detained at Paidha central police station pending investigation.

Health experts say pipe smokers stand a high risk of contracting cancer.