Shock and outrage have gripped Bauchi State following the arrest of a woman, Suwaira Ibrahim, for the horrific torture of her seven-year-old sister-in-law, whom she accused of witchcraft.
The chilling incident occurred in Magama Gumau, Toro Local Government Area, where Suwaira allegedly heated a metal object and burnt the child’s private parts, leaving her in unbearable pain and fighting for her life.
According to community activist Kabiru Abdulkadir, the ordeal began after Suwaira’s own child claimed to have seen the victim “among witches.” Despite consulting a local man who dismissed the allegation, Suwaira reportedly refused to accept the verdict and subjected the girl to brutal torture.
> “They placed a knife or spoon on fire and pressed it on her private parts, believing that if she was truly a witch, she would not feel pain. Her screams drew the attention of neighbours, and we insisted the matter be reported to police,” Abdulkadir recounted.
A disturbing video clip circulating locally shows the girl’s private parts and thighs severely burnt. Abdulkadir said the victim can no longer urinate or defecate properly, with the stench of rotting flesh making life unbearable in the household before she was rescued.
The child is now receiving urgent medical treatment at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, where doctors are battling to stabilise her condition.
Confirming the incident, Bauchi Police spokesperson Ahmed Wakil said the case was first reported to Toro Divisional Headquarters before being escalated to the State Command for proper investigation.
> “Initially, some people attempted to suppress the case at the community level, but we insisted it must be reported. The matter is now with the State Headquarters and will be prosecuted accordingly,” Wakil assured.
The shocking abuse has reignited debate over the persistent torture of children accused of witchcraft across Nigeria, despite the provisions of the Child Rights Act, which outlaws such practices.
Human rights groups warn that thousands of children in rural communities continue to suffer horrific violence—including burnings, starvation, and beatings—often at the hands of relatives and with tacit support from community leaders.
This is not the first time such cruelty has made headlines. In 2019, a 10-year-old girl in Lagos was rescued after her guardian, identified as Mrs. Anaeme, subjected her to repeated torture over witchcraft allegations, including searing her back with a hot object.
The Bauchi case has once again drawn urgent calls for stricter enforcement of child protection laws and swift prosecution of perpetrators, as Nigerians grapple with the devastating impact of superstition-driven violence on the nation’s most vulnerable.
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