A viral video from Nkanu in Enugu State has sparked outrage after villagers reportedly paraded an elderly woman over allegations that she used charms to kill people in the community. The footage, which circulated on social media on Thursday, shows the woman being taken to the grave of a recently deceased woman and allegedly being forced to swear an oath over the death.
Key Highlights
- An elderly woman was reportedly paraded in Nkanu, Enugu State, over alleged witchcraft.
- A viral video shows her being taken to the grave of a recently deceased woman.
- Villagers allegedly pressured her to swear an oath concerning the death.
- No publicly available evidence establishes that the woman caused the death.
- The identities of the woman and the deceased have not been disclosed.
- No official police statement on the incident was available in the reports reviewed by Thursday night.
Viral Video Shows Elderly Woman Taken to Grave
The footage, shared by accounts including @NigeriaStories and @yabaleftonline, shows villagers escorting the elderly woman through the community before taking her to a grave.
According to captions accompanying the video, the woman was accused of using charms to cause deaths in the village. She was reportedly pressured to swear that if she had any involvement in the recently deceased woman’s death, harm should come to her.
However, the available footage and accompanying social media posts do not establish the truth of the allegations.
The woman has not been publicly identified in the reports, and the deceased woman’s identity has also not been disclosed. The accounts reviewed did not cite a police charge, verified confession or medical finding linking the elderly woman to the death.
As of Thursday night, no official statement from the Enugu State Police Command concerning the incident had appeared in the available reports.
Witchcraft Accusations Raise Concerns Over Mob Justice
The incident has renewed concerns about the treatment of people accused of witchcraft and the dangers of allowing community suspicion to replace lawful investigation.
Publicly parading someone over unproven allegations can expose the person to humiliation, intimidation and potential violence. An oath-taking ritual at a grave does not establish criminal responsibility or replace evidence gathered through a proper investigation.
The incident also recalls a 2022 case in Agunese Affam-Mmaku, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, where youths reportedly stripped and paraded a widow after accusing her of entering a forest they considered sacred to pick snails.
That incident attracted condemnation from women’s rights advocates and a former minister, while arrests were subsequently reported.
The circumstances of the Nkanu incident remain unclear, but the video has prompted renewed debate about superstition, human dignity and the need to protect vulnerable members of communities from public accusations.
Nigerians React to Elderly Woman’s Parade
Reactions on X have been divided between users sharing the villagers’ allegations and those condemning the public treatment of the woman.
@TheYorubaTimes published the footage with a caption stating that the woman was allegedly accused of using charms to kill people in Nkanu and was made to swear an oath at a grave. @PARROTREPORT and @yabaleftonline shared similar descriptions of the incident.
The YabaLeftOnline post reportedly attracted tens of thousands of views by Thursday evening.
Some users linked witchcraft accusations to poverty and social inequality. Responding under the Nigeria Stories post, @DonAzag argued that poor and childless elderly women were particularly vulnerable to such accusations. Another user, @maneekofficial, countered with a remark suggesting that wealthy people could also face accusations of ritual practices.
Other users focused on the alleged public humiliation and the absence of evidence supporting the accusations.
@endyspy condemned the incident, describing the reported parade and forced oath-taking as degrading and inhumane. The user stressed that allegations should not be treated as proof and called for an end to mob justice.
Read also:
- 75 year old woman severely mutilated in alleged witchcraft attack in Adamawa
- Police warn against jungle justice after mob attacks woman over alleged child theft in FCT
- Mob killing in Bayelsa raises fresh concerns over jungle justice
Police Clarification Needed as Allegations Remain Unverified
Despite the video’s circulation, important details remain unconfirmed, including the woman’s identity, the circumstances surrounding the death and whether any formal complaint has been lodged.
There is also no confirmed information in the available reports indicating that anyone has been arrested over the incident.
The Enugu State Police Command’s clarification would help establish whether the matter has been reported, whether an investigation is underway and whether action will be taken over the woman’s alleged public humiliation.
Until verified evidence emerges, the claims against the elderly woman must remain allegations. The confirmed material available is the circulating footage of her being paraded and taken to a grave.
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