An elderly woman has reportedly been subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment after being accused of witchcraft in Amanfu, Ugbawka, Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.
A viral video showed the woman being paraded with palm fronds tied around her head. She was also allegedly forced to eat faeces, which was smeared on her body.
Reacting to the incident, Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) has called on the Enugu State Government to arrest and prosecute those responsible for subjecting the woman to the degrading treatment.
In a statement issued to journalists in Owerri over the weekend, the organisation’s Director, Dr. Leo Igwe, said AfAW received the video on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, and immediately alerted the police, the Enugu State chapter of the National Human Rights Commission, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), journalists and civil society organisations.
The organisation also deployed a regional advocate to verify the incident.
According to the statement, the advocate visited the community on Thursday, October 8, 2026, and discovered that the woman had been accused of pouring faeces on the grave of her stepson’s late wife.
The report stated that villagers apprehended the woman and confronted her over the allegation. She reportedly admitted to pouring faeces on the grave, claiming that the deceased had been appearing to her in dreams and tormenting her. She allegedly said the act was an attempt to stop the recurring experiences.
However, the woman denied killing the deceased.
The parish priest of Emmanuel Anglican Church, Amanfu, Pastor Michael Chukwunonso Ezeude, where the woman reportedly sought refuge, confirmed to AfAW that about 30 women from the community stormed the church and demanded that she be released to face what they described as “the laws of the community.”
Efforts by the cleric to intervene were reportedly resisted by the women.
The elderly woman later narrated her ordeal to the AfAW advocate, showing injuries she allegedly sustained from being flogged by the mob. She also appealed for justice.
Condemning the incident, Igwe described the treatment of the woman as barbaric and criminal, characterising it as a form of gender-based violence rooted in superstition.
“Advocacy for Alleged Witches condemns the abuse and maltreatment of this woman. Enugu State authorities should take custody of this woman, take her to a hospital for medical examination, and provide her counseling and rehabilitation. The authorities should arrest and prosecute those who mobbed and dehumanized her,” Igwe said.
He further explained that dreams are not real-life events, prophetic messages or evidence of witchcraft, but experiences associated with the subconscious during sleep.
Igwe urged Nigerians to reject superstition-driven abuse and embrace science, reason and critical thinking.
The incident has renewed concerns about the treatment of people accused of witchcraft and the need for authorities to protect vulnerable individuals from mob violence and other forms of abuse.
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