GUSAU, Nigeria — A rights organisation has criticised the Zamfara State Hisbah Commission over the arrest of Khadija Abdullah.
She was detained in Gusau after community leaders accused her of conducting prohibited spiritual practices at her home.
The Advocacy for Alleged Witches, or AfAW, questioned the legal basis for the arrest and called on state authorities to disclose whether Abdullah had been formally charged.
A report published on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 said Hisbah officers acted after receiving complaints from community leaders.
Hisbah is responsible for enforcing Sharia regulations in Zamfara, which became the first Nigerian state to introduce Sharia law in 1999.
Spiritual Treatments Under Investigation
Umar Tsafe, a Hisbah officer, said Abdullah was accused of carrying out forbidden spiritual activities at her residence.
Officers who searched the apartment reportedly encountered another woman who had gone there seeking treatment for what was described as a spiritual ailment.
According to the account cited by AfAW, Abdullah acknowledged providing spiritual treatments.
She reportedly told investigators that she was possessed by spirits, used perfumes during treatments, and recited prayers over water before giving it to people seeking traditional or spiritual remedies.
The report did not say whether prosecutors had filed charges against Abdullah.
Sheikh Umar Hassan Gusau, the chairman of the Hisbah commission, requested further investigation to establish the accuracy of the accusations and determine what action should be taken “in accordance with the law”.
Group Questions Hisbah’s Authority
AfAW disputed Hisbah’s authority to arrest people over accusations of witchcraft.
In an e-mailed statement to The Trent signed by its director, Leo Igwe, the organisation asserted that alleged witchcraft activities were not, by themselves, a criminal offence under Nigerian law.
The group also argued that Hisbah should not determine whether a person is a witch or characterise private spiritual practices as witchcraft without evidence of an offence or harm to public health.
AfAW described Abdullah’s arrest as an infringement on religious freedom and urged Hisbah officers to stop detaining people because of their spiritual or traditional practices.
The case has also prompted questions on social media.
Chidi Odinkalu, a legal expert, wrote on X, “From where does #Hisbah acquire the power, capacity, or authority to chase #WitchesAndWizards, please?”
From where does #Hisbah acquire the power, capacity, or authority to chase #WitchesAndWizards, please? https://t.co/k0T06gkICP
— Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, CGoF (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 15, 2026
Other social media users cited in the statement described the arrest as religious persecution and questioned whether the practices attributed to Abdullah had harmed anyone.
Human Rights Bodies Contacted
AfAW said it had contacted the Gusau offices of the National Human Rights Commission and the International Federation of Women Lawyers to determine Abdullah’s current status and obtain further information about the case.
The organisation called for legal assistance for Abdullah and other people accused of witchcraft or what authorities describe as harmful spiritual practices.
It also urged the Zamfara State Government to review Hisbah’s actions and prevent arrests based solely on allegations of witchcraft.
Neither Abdullah’s response to the accusations nor details of any legal representation were included in the statement.
