85-Year-Old Woman Attacked Over Witchcraft Claim

An 85-year-old woman in Zamfara State was reportedly beaten, stripped naked and subjected to severe physical abuse after being accused of witchcraft, according to the Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW).

The incident came to the attention of AfAW after the Zamfara office of the National Human Rights Commission shared an audio recording with the organisation on 18 August 2026. The account was narrated in Hausa and later translated by an AfAW advocate.

According to the account, the elderly woman had visited a woman who had recently given birth to a child to exchange pleasantries when the mother allegedly accused her of witchcraft.

The woman denied the allegation, but the accusation reportedly drew other people who attacked her.

She was allegedly pelted with stones and beaten with pestles and sticks, sustaining injuries to her head, hand and other parts of her body.

The account further alleged that she was dragged along the ground, pushed into a toilet and struck with a toilet seat. She was also reportedly stripped naked and slapped several times.

The attackers allegedly threatened to kill her if the baby died and ordered her to step over the child as a supposed test of whether she was a witch.

When she questioned how she was expected to do so, she was allegedly beaten and threatened before complying. The account said she was forced to repeat the act several times and was later made to step over the baby’s mother.

The attackers reportedly discussed bringing a traditional priest to determine whether the woman was a witch and also mentioned taking her to the police.

The woman was eventually taken to hospital for treatment and later released, according to the account. She said the accusations and mistreatment continued afterwards.

Importantly, the woman identified those who allegedly attacked and tortured her as family members whom she had known for many years, rather than a neighbour as initially reported in some descriptions of the incident.

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches said a photograph made available to the organisation showed the woman with a bruised face and injuries across her body. The group said she was seeking justice.

AfAW Director Leo Igwe called on the Zamfara State Government to intervene and ensure that the woman receives justice.

“Those who accused and subsequently subjected her to horrific abuse should not get away with their crimes,” Igwe said.

AfAW said it contacted the National Human Rights Commission office several times after receiving the report and attempted to provide legal and humanitarian assistance to the woman.

The organisation said those efforts were unsuccessful after a family contact reportedly indicated that relatives had blocked attempts to provide assistance and did not want the matter publicised.

The reported case has renewed concerns over the treatment of people accused of witchcraft, particularly vulnerable elderly women.

However, the details of the Zamfara incident remain based on the Hausa-language audio account shared with AfAW and the organisation’s subsequent statement. There is no confirmed information in the reports reviewed indicating that anyone has been arrested or prosecuted over the alleged assault.

AfAW is urging the state authorities to investigate the case and ensure that the elderly woman receives protection and access to justice.