CONCERNS that unknown creatures reigning terror on villagers are linked to witchcraft have deepened after footprint studies by the nature conservation left more questions than answers about the identity of the creatures.

Villagers of Okaku in the Oshana Region have on several occasions reported that mysterious creatures were depriving them of their livelihood by feeding on their goats and chickens.
Most recently, one of the alleged giant dog-like creatures reportedly attacked a 16-year-old boy at the village, leading to his death at the Oshakati State Hospital.
In another case, a woman at the village has allegedly become mentally disturbed after the creatures ate all her livestock.
Fed-up villagers, armed with weapons, a fortnight ago decided to take matters into their own hands by tracking the footprints of the creatures.
According to Oshana Governor, Clemens Kashuupulwa, the villagers followed the tracks all the way to a homestead, but were forced to call in the police to intervene after they were denied access by the owner of the homestead.
“The villagers are desperate and devastated after losing their goats,” said Kashuupulwa.
Oshana Police Commander, Commissioner Ndahangwapo Kashihakumwa told Informanté that upon obtaining a search warrant from the court, the police searched the said homestead but found nothing.
Nature Conservation was eventually called in the hope of identifying the creatures, but little came of their investigations.
According to an official at Nature Conservation in Ondangwa, the footprints of the creatures were unlike anything they had ever seen, which made it virtually impossible to name the creature.
“At first we thought the footprints might belong to wild dogs, but there is such a large distinction like the size of the paws that we soon realised that the prints were of an animal we have never encountered,” said the official.
The villagers, who are convinced that the mysterious creatures have over the past few months reproduced, are now worried that they do not have enough livestock left to continue satisfying the blood-thirst creatures.
“If you go around the village, everyone has an interesting story to tell about these creatures. Many of our children nearly became meals, while another was unfortunate and lost his life,” said one villager.
The villagers claim they know the identities of the culprits behind the witchcraft-related creatures, but cannot confront them for fear of angering them further.
The police have since referred the matter to the traditional authority.
“We hope that they will know what to do with this situation,” concluded Kashihakumwa.