Witchcraft Accusation: Those Who Subjected a Woman to Inhuman and Degrading Treatment in Enugu Should Be Brought to Justice

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches urges Nigerian state authorities to bring to justice those who abused and violated the rights of an elderly woman in Enugu, Southern Nigeria. In a video that circulated on social media and was forwarded to AfAW two days ago, a local mob was seen parading a woman with some palm fronds in a community in Enugu. She was allegedly branded a witch.

On receiving the video. AfAW also contacted the police, state chapters of the National Human Rights Commission, the International Federation of Women Lawyers, journalists and civil society groups in Enugu, drawing attention to the video. AfAW also sent one of its regional advocates to confirm the incident.

In his report, the advocate stated: "It all started with a disturbing video that was circulating online on Wednesday, 7th October, 2026, wherein an old woman was being paraded around her community, with palm fronds tied all over her head, while she was forced to eat faeces and some were rubbed on her face too. Dr. Leo Igwe of AfAW told me to proceed to the community. Upon reaching the community, Amanfu, Ugbawka, Nkanu East LGA, on Thursday, 8th October, 2026, I headed straight to the Catholic Church behind Smart School, Ugbawka Campus, hoping to speak with the priest or anyone in charge. Unfortunately, the priest wasn't around, so they got the contact details of the catechist. The catechist told me that the old woman was a member of Emmanuel Anglican Church, Amanfu. He politely asked me to go to the Anglican Church as they were in a better position to address my concerns. On my way to the Anglican Church, I met one Aunty Ugo who teaches at Comprehensive Secondary School, Ugbawka. She narrated that the said old woman was seen pouring faeces on the grave of the late wife of her stepson, and when confronted, she ran to the church for safety, but the villagers followed her to the church and pleaded with the priest to release the woman to them. The priest tried to intervene on behalf of the woman, but circumstances forced him to exonerate himself and his church from the allegations, stating that he didn't teach his church members to act unruly. Aunty Ugo further said that the old woman had long been accused of committing several other crimes in the community. Going further, I proceeded to Emmanuel Anglican Church, Amanfu, and met with the priest, Pastor Michael Chukwunonso Ezeude. He narrated how the old woman was seen pouring faeces on the grave of the late wife of her stepson. The old woman was confronted, and she accepted the allegations and justified her actions by claiming that the late wife of her stepson kept visiting her in her dreams to torment her. So the pouring of faeces on the grave was simply an act of ending the torments, and she didn't have any bad intentions. Neither is she the killer of the late wife of her stepson. He said that the old woman had been worshipping in his church when about 30 women from the community stormed the church and demanded that the woman be brought to face the laws of the community. All attempts to intervene were resisted, but that didn't stop him from staying close to the old woman to witness whatever would happen. He ended up leaving the matter for the community to handle, since it was tagged a communal issue".

The advocate further recounted his visit and meeting with the accused woman: "I had equally visited the village youth Chairman, Mr Sunday, in his house, but he wasn't around when I got there. I proceeded to the old woman's house. At the house, she welcomed me warmly and narrated her own side of the story. Claiming that the late wife of her stepson had been visiting her in her dreams to torment her and that she actually excreted and poured the faeces on the grave of the late wife of her stepson in a bid to stop further torments from the dead woman. Unfortunately, she was apprehended by villagers who accused her of killing the stepson's late wife, which she denied having a hand in the death. She showed me where she sustained injuries as a result of flogging by the villagers and cried for justice to prevail.

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches condemns the abuse and maltreatment of this woman. AfAW is working with the NHRC, Ministry of Gender, and the police to ensure justice. Enugu State authorities should take custody of this woman, take her to a hospital for some medical examination, and provide her some counseling, and rehabilitation. The authorities should arrest and prosecute those who mobbed and dehumanized her. The government should ensure that this revulsive act of gender based violence does not repeat. AfAW declares that people do not appear in dreams as believed. Dream experiences are not real; they are not prophetic or predictive experiences, as churches and other religious bodies teach and preach. Dream encounters are wishes, fantasies, and imaginations that well up from the subconscious during sleep, Nigerians should abandon superstitions and superstition-based abuses. Nigerians should embrace science, reason, and critical thinking.

Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches