ENUGU, Nigeria — A human rights organisation has called for the prosecution of villagers accused of assaulting and publicly humiliating an elderly woman in Enugu State following allegations of witchcraft.
The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) said villagers paraded the woman through her community with palm fronds tied around her head.
A representative of the organisation reported that she was forced to eat faeces and had faeces smeared on her face.
The incident occurred in Amanfu, Ugbawka, in Nkanu East Local Government Area, where the woman was accused of involvement in the death of her stepson’s wife.
A video of the alleged abuse was circulating on social media by Wednesday, October 7, 2026, prompting AfAW to send an advocate to the community to investigate.
Viral video of Aged woman paraded by villagers in Nkanu, Enugu State, after being accused of allegedly k!il!ng people in the village with ch@rm. She was reportedly forced to go to the grave of a woman who recently d!ed and take an oath that if she had any hand in the woman’s de@th, ev!! would befall her.
— Nigeria Stories (@NigeriaStories) October 8, 2026
Woman Describes Alleged Assault
The advocate, whose findings were detailed in a report released by the organisation, said he visited the woman’s home and spoke with her about the incident.
According to his account, the woman acknowledged placing faeces on the grave of her stepson’s deceased wife but denied responsibility for the woman’s death.
She reportedly explained that she had repeatedly dreamt about the deceased woman and believed she was being tormented by her.
She said she placed the faeces on the grave in an attempt to stop the dreams.
The advocate said the woman described being attacked by villagers after she was confronted over the incident.
“She showed me where she sustained injuries as a result of flogging by the villagers and cried for justice to prevail,” he wrote.
The report did not identify the woman by name.
Cleric Recounts Confrontation at Church
The advocate also interviewed Pastor Michael Chukwunonso Ezeude of Emmanuel Anglican Church in Amanfu, where the woman had reportedly sought refuge.
Ezeude said approximately 30 women from the community arrived at the church and demanded that the elderly woman be handed over to face what they described as the community’s laws.
According to the report, the cleric attempted to intervene, but the women resisted his efforts.
Ezeude said he remained near the woman to observe what happened before eventually leaving the dispute to the community.
The advocate also spoke with a teacher identified as Ugo, who said the woman had faced previous accusations in the village.
Those allegations were not independently substantiated in the organisation’s report.
Rights Group Calls for Arrests
Leo Igwe, director of the Advocacy for Alleged Witches, condemned the woman’s treatment and urged the Enugu State Government to intervene.
The organisation said it had contacted the police, the Enugu State chapter of the National Human Rights Commission, the International Federation of Women Lawyers, journalists, and civil society organisations after receiving the video.
AfAW is also working with the National Human Rights Commission, the Ministry of Gender, and the police to seek justice for the woman, according to a statement emailed to The Trent on Saturday, October 10, 2026.
The group called on the authorities to ensure that the woman receives a medical examination, counselling, and rehabilitation.
It also demanded the identification, arrest, and prosecution of those responsible for the alleged assault and degrading treatment.
AfAW urged the authorities to take measures to prevent similar incidents of violence against women accused of witchcraft.
The organisation further challenged beliefs linking dreams to supernatural attacks, arguing that such experiences should not be treated as evidence of wrongdoing.
It called for greater reliance on scientific understanding, reason, and critical thinking in addressing allegations of witchcraft.
The report did not indicate whether the police had made any arrests in connection with the incident.
