Investigations mounted by this medium has revealed that a young man by the name of Dauda Kargbo, narrowly escaped death at the hands of Poro Secret Society members in Kassie Village, Port Loko District, Northern Sierra Leone, after being forcefully tied in the house.
According to our source, Dauda was abducted after attempts to get him to agree to be initiated into the ‘Poro Society’ to replace his late father, who was a senior member of the society, failed. It was disclosed that according to their tradition, at the death of the father who is a senior member of the society, his eldest son should automatically be initiated to take his place. This has been the norm and has seen many young people leaving the village for fear of initiation, which is full of risk.
In Dauda’s case, at the death of his father, Pa Zachariah Masim Mansaray, on 11 may 2018, his elder brother, Mohamed, was taken to the society bush for initiation, to replace their late father as leader of the secret society. The said initiation rites was to last for six months, and it was reported that during the process, which included very inhumane traditional rites, Dauda’s brother, Mohamed, died. Upon his death, the elders again demanded from the family that the next eldest son of the late father be given up for initiation, who happened to be Dauda.
Family members say that when Mohamed died, they were not allowed to retrieve his body, as they claimed that he was with their ‘God’. They further explained that after this sad news, the elders demanded that the second eldest son of the family be initiated to replace their father and brother. It was also disclosed that Dauda was in Freetown, and in December 2019, he was called by his uncle in the village to report immediately at the village for an urgent family meeting. He is said to have left Freetown the next day and arrived in the village late in the evening hours. On his arrival, a meeting was urgently convened, during which Dauda was told that he should replace his late father and brother in the society as leader, and that plans are on the way for the ceremony to commence soon. Infuriated by this decision, and bearing in mind that his late brother died during such initiation ceremony, Dauda is said to have out-rightly refused the suggestion of his Uncle and the elders, on the grounds that the said secret society was demonic and against his religious belief, as well as barbaric, much to the disdain of some male family members and the elders, who wanted Dauda to take that position and save the family name in that area. He is said to have argued that he has given his life to God and will not be a member of such a secret society.
Sources close to the family explained that as it was late, Dauda was unable to return to Freetown, and had planned to return the next day by the first available transport, so he went to bed at the house in which he was lodged. It was also revealed that during that night, members of the secret society,
On that very night they attack the room where he was sleeping beat and tied him, they were about taking him to the poro bush, when they hard a loud noise outside, most of them went to look where the sound was coming from, when one of them untied him and told him to go through the window and escape, there he sustained several injuries on his body.
A close friend of Dauda, who also wished to remain anonymous, also disclosed that he later saw Dauda running at the back of their house into another bush, apparently to make his way from the village, as a search has already been mounted for him by members of the secret society. His close friend disclosed that his house and those of their other friends were raided by society members in search of Dauda, and threats made against anyone harboring him.
Family members, when contacted against to corroborate the story of Dauda’s disappearance, said that since he was abducted that night, his whereabouts are unknown, and that the members of the secret society had stormed their house on several occasion, threatening to kill Dauda when found, including anyone hiding him.
When asked about moves to report the sia d threats to the police, family members say that Politicians and non politicians are members of the Poro Secret Society in the country. Most members are in the governance of the country. In every high place in the country, there is a member. They have huge membership in the police force, the military, government politicians etc, and nothing will come out from their report.
A close relative told us that he changed his name from Abu Bakarr Mansaray to Dauda Kargbo in other for him to escape from the country to save his life
As we go to press, the whereabouts of Dauda is still unknown, and a man-hunt by the Secret Society members for him has intensified. This writer could not get the side of any of the society members, as discussing such matter was taboo.
