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An 85-year-old woman has reportedly been assaulted after being accused of witchcraft in Zamfara State.
The Advocacy for Alleged Witches, a civil society organisation, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday by its director, Leo Igwe.
Igwe said the woman was beaten, stripped naked and subjected to other forms of physical abuse after she was accused of witchcraft.
According to him, the elderly woman had visited a woman who had recently given birth to exchange pleasantries when the new mother allegedly accused her of being a witch.
“A mob gathered and started pelting her with stones, beating her with pestles and sticks. In the process, she sustained serious injuries, and blood was gushing out from her head and hand,” Igwe said.
“The mob dragged her on the floor, pushed her into the toilet, hit her with the toilet seat, and threatened to kill her if the baby died.”
Igwe said the attackers allegedly stripped the octogenarian naked, slapped her repeatedly and ordered her to step over the newborn several times to prove that she was not a witch.
He said the woman complied, but the attackers discussed bringing in a traditional priest to determine whether she was a witch and also mentioned taking her to the police station.
“She complied and stepped over the baby. They forced her to repeat the act multiple times. The mob forced her to do the same to the mother of the baby,” Igwe said.
The woman was reportedly taken to a hospital, where she received treatment before being discharged. However, Igwe said the accusations and abuse continued after her discharge.
He added that the victim identified some of her alleged attackers as family members she had known for many years.
“The victim is now asking for justice. The photo made available to AfAW showed the woman weeping with a bruised face and injuries all over her body,” he said.
Igwe described the incident as part of a broader pattern in which people accused of witchcraft, particularly women, face violence and are often left without access to justice.
“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,” he said.
“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 urged the Zamfara State Government to intervene, ensure the woman receives justice and provide her with the necessary support.
He also called on law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the alleged assault.
“She is physically and psychologically hurt and needs justice to heal and realise closure,” he said.
Igwe said allegations of witchcraft should never be used to justify violence or shield perpetrators from accountability.
“These serious violations should not be excused or swept under the carpet. The public should speak out and make sure that alleged witches do not continue to suffer and die in silence.
“Witch persecution persists because of impunity, because persecutors are not penalised,” he said.
