ENUGU, NIGERIA – The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) has issued an urgent call to action, demanding that Enugu state authorities immediately apprehend and prosecute a mob responsible for the brutal assault and public humiliation of an elderly woman. The incident, which has sparked widespread outrage across Nigeria, was captured in a harrowing video that began circulating on social media earlier this week.
The graphic footage shows a local mob subjecting the woman to a campaign of terror, parading her through the streets under the baseless suspicion of witchcraft. In the video, the woman is visibly distressed as she is coerced and intimidated by a group of men and women who show no regard for her human rights or personal safety. According to AfAW, the video was forwarded to their organization two days ago, prompting an immediate intervention from the human rights advocacy group.
Leo Igwe, a prominent human rights activist and the driving force behind AfAW, condemned the act as a barbaric violation of human dignity. “This is not just an isolated incident; it is a manifestation of the deep-seated superstition and systemic violence that continues to plague our communities,” Igwe stated. “No person, regardless of their age or perceived spiritual status, should ever be subjected to such dehumanizing treatment. We are calling on the Enugu State Police Command and the state government to treat this as a high-priority criminal investigation.”
The prevalence of “witch-hunting” remains a significant public health and human rights crisis in many parts of Southern Nigeria. Often fueled by ignorance, poverty, and local superstitions, these attacks frequently target the most vulnerable members of society—specifically the elderly, the destitute, and those with mental health conditions. Victims are routinely subjected to public shaming, physical beatings, displacement, and in some tragic cases, extrajudicial killing.
AfAW has emphasized that the state’s failure to prosecute perpetrators in similar cases creates a culture of impunity, emboldening mobs to continue taking the law into their own hands. The group is demanding that the individuals identified in the video be tracked down and face the full weight of the law to send a clear message that such atrocities will no longer be tolerated.
As of this morning, there has been no official statement from the Enugu State Police Command regarding the status of the investigation. Human rights observers are calling for a coordinated effort between local authorities and community leaders to protect the victim and ensure she receives medical care and psychological support. The Advocacy for Alleged Witches has vowed to continue tracking the case, urging citizens to refrain from spreading disinformation and to instead support efforts to dismantle the harmful beliefs that drive these violent episodes.
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