A tragic event unfolded in the Oke-Ijeun area of Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Tuesday, where an elderly woman, Kehinde Ojo, was brutally lynched by a mob based on accusations of witchcraft.
Disturbing footage shared on social media depicts Ojo, frail and unable to speak, enduring severe mistreatment as she lay in a pit.
The mob’s violence stemmed from allegations that Ojo had transformed from a bird into a human during daylight hours. According to a report by Saturday PUNCH, a local prophetess from a white garment church raised the alarm, claiming she saw Ojo fall onto the church’s roof after allegedly changing from a bird into a human. A video shared on social media shows the prophetess, along with other community members, questioning Ojo about the accusations. The prophetess’s identity remains unverified.
In another video, officers from the Ogun State Police Command are seen rescuing the elderly woman. Ojo was taken to the hospital but tragically passed away shortly after the rescue.
Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, Kabir Kehinde, one of Ojo’s children, accused the prophetess and her son of subjecting his mother to a fatal beating. He explained that his mother had been visiting his brother, who lived near the church, when she got lost due to her deteriorating vision. This was when the prophetess allegedly attacked her.
Kehinde recounted, “My mother was not a witch. She was wrongly accused and beaten to death by the prophetess. She had gone to visit my brother on Monday evening but got disoriented because of her poor eyesight.
The prophetess and others then beat her from Monday evening into Tuesday morning, demanding that she confess to witchcraft. Despite my mother’s repeated pleas of innocence, they continued to beat her. Even after her death, my mother’s body still bore the signs of the beatings. We’ve reported this to the police, and the prophetess has been arrested.”
Efforts to contact Omolola Odutola, the Police Public Relations Officer of Ogun State, for an update on the case were unsuccessful.
Leo Igwe, a human rights advocate from the Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW), has condemned the superstition behind the tragic incident. He urged Nigerians to reject the belief that humans can transform into animals, a misconception that continues to fuel violence and discrimination.
“This incident highlights the dangerous hold that superstition has over many Nigerians,” Igwe remarked. “Despite the advancements of modern education, the belief that a person can change into a bird, cat, or snake is still widespread. This belief contradicts scientific principles and undermines rational thought. Religious teachings sometimes perpetuate these harmful myths, encouraging people to act with cruelty toward those they believe to be witches.”
Igwe emphasized the importance of dispelling these superstitions and adopting critical thinking and scientific understanding to prevent further tragedies. He added, “Such beliefs are often used to justify acts of violence, including the murder and abuse of the elderly, particularly those who suffer from conditions like dementia or other mental health challenges.” AfAW continues to advocate for a society free of these harmful superstitions.
