The group said relatives attacked her following a witchcraft accusation.
The Advocacy for Alleged Witches said it learnt of the case through a Hausa-language audio account sent by the Zamfara office of the National Human Rights Commission on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.
One of the organisation’s advocates translated the recording, according to Leo Igwe, the group’s director.
Igwe urged the Zamfara State Government to intervene, assist the woman and ensure that those responsible for the alleged violence were investigated and prosecuted.
An Accusation During a Family Visit
According to the translated account, the encounter began when the elderly woman visited another woman who had recently given birth.
During the visit, the baby’s mother accused her of practising witchcraft.
The visitor denied the allegation, but her accuser persisted and described her as a hypocrite, the narration said.
Other people then gathered around the woman and began attacking her.
The account said members of the group threw stones at her and struck her with pestles and sticks, causing injuries to her head, hand and other parts of her body.
She was reportedly pulled along the ground, forced into a toilet and hit with a toilet seat.
Her attackers also removed her clothing, repeatedly slapped her and warned that they would kill her if the baby died, according to the recording.
The group then ordered the woman to step over the infant as a test of her denial. When she questioned the demand, she was beaten and threatened with death, the account said.
She eventually complied and was made to repeat the act several times.
The attackers later forced her to step over the child’s mother as well.
At one point, members of the group discussed bringing in a traditional priest to establish whether she was a witch.
They also considered taking her to a police station, according to the narration.
The woman was eventually taken to a hospital and treated for her injuries.
The account said the accusations and mistreatment continued after she was discharged.
The alleged attackers were members of her family whom she had known for many years, the woman said in the translated recording.
Advocates Say Assistance Was Blocked
Igwe said a photograph supplied to the Advocacy for Alleged Witches showed the woman crying, with bruising on her face and visible injuries elsewhere on her body.
The organisation said it repeatedly contacted the commission’s Zamfara office for further information as it sought to arrange legal and humanitarian assistance for the woman.
Those efforts were unsuccessful.
According to Igwe, a coordinator later told the organisation that members of the family had prevented attempts to support the woman. A contact person also said the family did not want the case publicised.
It was not immediately clear whether the police had opened an investigation or whether the woman remained in contact with the commission.
Group Calls for Prosecution
The Advocacy for Alleged Witches said the woman was seeking justice and needed assistance for the physical and psychological harm she had reportedly suffered.
The organisation called on Zamfara officials to ensure that those responsible for the alleged attack were arrested and prosecuted.
It also urged members of the public to support the woman and other people subjected to violence after being accused of witchcraft.
Igwe said relatives were frequently among those making such accusations and could prevent victims from obtaining outside assistance.
He argued that the failure to hold attackers accountable allowed violence against accused people, particularly women, to continue.
