Adamawa Witchcraft Allegation Leads to Fatal Beating Amid Rising Gender Violence
A tragic incident in Adamawa State has drawn public outrage after a woman was brutally beaten to death by community members who accused her of witchcraft. This shocking event comes as the state police command reveals that a total of 23 gender-based violence cases were recorded and investigated throughout the year 2025.
Deadly Witchcraft Accusation in Song Local Government Area
The victim, identified as Aisha Adamu, was attacked in Dume community within Song Local Government Area on Monday, December 15, 2025. According to reports, she faced severe discrimination and harassment from community members, friends, and family because she was unmarried and childless at her age. The situation escalated dramatically when she was tortured, stripped naked, and beaten to death following witchcraft allegations.
This unlawful act has sparked widespread condemnation across Adamawa State and highlighted the deep-rooted gender-based violence that women continue to face due to societal pressures, age discrimination, religious beliefs, and ethnic prejudices. The case demonstrates how traditional superstitions can lead to fatal consequences in modern Nigerian society.
Police Statistics Reveal Disturbing Pattern of Violence
Speaking to journalists, the Adamawa State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Nguroje, provided detailed statistics about gender-based violence in the state during 2025. The police command recorded and investigated 23 confirmed cases, which were categorized into two main types: adult rape cases and defilement of minors.
The breakdown shows:
- 3 cases of adult rape involving women
- 20 cases of defilement involving minor children
SP Nguroje explained that most cases were reported through complaints from individuals, intelligence networks within the police command, survivors themselves, and concerned community members acting as good Samaritans. He emphasized that whenever a complaint is received, the police conduct thorough and discreet investigations to apprehend those involved.
Investigation Challenges and Community Policing Approach
The police spokesperson revealed particular challenges in investigating the witchcraft-related killing in Song LGA. "When we got the report about this incident, we found it a bit difficult to investigate because the community youths were involved in the case, and no one was willing to speak about the case," SP Nguroje stated.
To overcome this obstacle, police adopted innovative community policing methods that eventually helped them secure an eyewitness who volunteered crucial information. "We had to adopt a new method of community policing, which helped us to get an eye witness who volunteered to give us all the necessary information we needed," he explained, noting that since the victim was deceased, they couldn't obtain her testimony directly.
SP Nguroje described the police approach to handling gender-based violence survivors: "Whenever we receive a complaint, we make sure we have a good time with the survivor, treating them as queens with a soft mind to enable them to open up about what happened for us to have proper evidence for further investigations." Suspects are then apprehended and charged in court according to the law, demonstrating the police command's commitment to public protection and justice.
Advocate Calls for Zero Tolerance and Community Action
Gender-based violence advocate Aishatu Kabu, founder of Zegcawis Organization, emphasized the urgent need to combat discrimination and violence against women and girls. "Discrimination all over the world is uncalled for, especially against women and girls who face discrimination based on their gender at their homes, workplace, market, and even at their business centers," she stated.
Kabu highlighted the multifaceted impact of gender violence: "As an advocate, gender based violence is strongly affecting women psychologically, physically, emotionally, economically, and financially. It is something we all should work towards, curtailing the act affecting women all around the world."
She noted that Adamawa State was among the earliest northern states to pass the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, making the witchcraft accusation incident particularly alarming. "Hearing about such incident of accusation of witchcraft which is mostly found in the South south is an alert call for all the advocates in the state to create an awareness campaign to the public on such mentality," Kabu explained.
The advocate urged communities to adopt zero tolerance for gender-based violence and speak out against it to help build safer societies. She emphasized the importance of educating communities about legal provisions against such acts and providing support systems for survivors seeking justice.
Related Security Incident in Adamawa
In a separate but related development, a young Point of Sale operator named Saddam Ibrahim was attacked with a machete in Ngurore, Yola North Local Government Area. The assailant struck him on the head and hand, causing serious injuries, before fleeing with his mobile phone. This incident has left the community shocked and fearful amid rising insecurity in the area, with Ibrahim's family urging security authorities to take swift action and provide stronger protection for residents and small business owners.
As Adamawa State enters 2026, both police authorities and gender violence advocates express hope for reduced cases of gender-based violence while calling for increased community awareness, stronger legal enforcement, and collective action against discrimination and violence targeting women and girls.
