Published by Osasere Edomwonyi Ikpoba
An 85-year-old woman in Zamfara State has endured a savage ordeal at the hands of a mob, including members of her own family, after being accused of witchcraft during a routine visit to greet a neighbour who had just given birth. The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW), a human rights group, has called for immediate state intervention and the prosecution of those responsible, describing the incident as part of a broader, deeply troubling pattern of violence against elderly women in northern Nigeria.
The attack occurred in a community in Zamfara State when the elderly woman visited a neighbour who had recently delivered a baby. What began as an exchange of pleasantries took a harrowing turn when the new mother suddenly accused the visitor of practicing witchcraft. The 85-year-old woman vehemently denied the allegation, insisting she had never indulged in such practices, but her denials fell on deaf ears. According to Leo Igwe, Director of AfAW, the accusation quickly drew a mob, which descended upon the elderly woman with shocking savagery.
The assault was brutal and prolonged. The mob pelted her with stones and beat her with pestles and sticks, inflicting serious wounds that left blood gushing from her head and hand. The attackers dragged her along the floor, shoved her into a toilet, and struck her with the toilet seat. In a particularly degrading act, they stripped her naked and slapped her repeatedly. The mob then threatened to kill her if the newborn baby died, holding her responsible for the child's well-being.
To prove she was not a witch, the mob forced the octogenarian to step over the infant multiple times. When she hesitated and questioned the demand, she was beaten again and threatened with death. She eventually complied, and the mob forced her to repeat the degrading act several times before making her step over the child's mother as well. At one point, the attackers discussed bringing a traditional priest to confirm her alleged witchcraft and also considered taking her to a police station.
She was eventually taken to a hospital, where she received treatment for her injuries and was discharged. However, the cruelty did not end there. According to AfAW, the accusations and mistreatment continued even after she returned home. The victim identified some of her attackers as family members she had known for many years. In a photograph supplied to the advocacy group, the woman is seen weeping with a bruised face and injuries covering her body.
The Advocacy for Alleged Witches said it learned of the case through a Hausa-language audio recording sent by the Zamfara office of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on August 18, 2026. When AfAW attempted to contact the NHRC for further information and to offer legal and humanitarian assistance to the victim, the group was allegedly informed that the victim's family had blocked all efforts to support her because they did not want the matter publicised.
Leo Igwe condemned the incident as part of a persistent pattern of violence where victims of alleged witchcraft, particularly women, are left without justice after suffering abuse from relatives or community members. "Many alleged witches, especially women subjected to torture and persecution, suffer a similar fate. They are left to lick their wounds and die with the trauma," Igwe said. He added: "Family members, who in many cases are among the accusers and tormentors, block efforts to secure justice and seek redress. The pattern must be disrupted".
Igwe has called on the Zamfara State Government to intervene and ensure the elderly woman receives justice and the necessary support. He also urged law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident and prosecute anyone found responsible for the alleged assault. "She is physically and psychologically hurt and needs justice to heal and realise closure," Igwe said. "Those who accused and subsequently subjected her to horrific abuse should not get away with their crimes. They should be arrested, prosecuted, and jailed".
The case highlights the pervasive issue of witchcraft accusations in parts of Nigeria, where vulnerable individuals, especially elderly women, are often targeted with little to no legal recourse. The attackers' consideration of taking the woman to the police station suggests a perverse awareness of the law, yet they chose mob violence instead. As Igwe noted, "Witchcraft accusations should not be used to justify violence or shield perpetrators from accountability". For now, the 85-year-old woman remains in a state of physical and psychological distress, her family blocking the very assistance she desperately needs while her tormentors remain free.
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