A seven-year-old girl, identified only as Habiba for her protection, is currently battling for her life at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi after she was brutally tortured by her brother’s wife in Magama Gumau, Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
The suspect, identified as Suwaira Ibrahim, allegedly burnt the child’s private part with a heated kitchen knife over accusations of witchcraft. The disturbing incident has sparked outrage in the community and raised renewed concerns about the abuse of children based on superstition.
According to a local community activist, Kabiru Mohammed Abdulkadir, the incident began when Suwaira’s own child claimed to have seen Habiba “among witches” in a dream. Without any proper inquiry, Suwaira reportedly declared the little girl a witch and began to treat her with suspicion and cruelty.
In a bid to prove her point, Suwaira took the girl to a local spiritualist to confirm the accusation. However, the spiritualist reportedly told her that Habiba was not a witch and should not be harmed.
Unwilling to accept the spiritualist’s position, Suwaira allegedly took matters into her own hands. She returned home, heated a knife, and pressed it against the little girl’s private parts, claiming that if she were truly a witch, she would not feel pain.
The girl’s screams drew the attention of neighbours, who rushed to the scene and found Habiba writhing in agony, with severe burns around her genitals and thighs. A viral video of the incident shows the extent of the injuries, with the wounds visibly charred and reportedly beginning to rot due to lack of immediate treatment.
Community members say the girl now struggles to urinate and defecate, and the smell from the wounds has overtaken the house.
“It was her loud cries that attracted neighbours,” said Abdulkadir. “When we saw what had been done to her, we insisted that the case must not be swept under the carpet and reported it to the police.”
The Bauchi State Police Command confirmed the incident through its spokesperson, CSP Ahmed Wakil. He stated that the matter was first reported at the Toro Divisional Headquarters and was later transferred to the State Command in Bauchi for a thorough investigation.
“We are aware of the case,” Wakil said. “Initially, some individuals in the community tried to settle the matter locally, but the severity of the crime made it necessary to escalate it. We are now handling it at the State Command level and a full statement will be issued as investigations continue.”
The victim is currently receiving medical attention at ATBUTH, where doctors are working to save her life and manage the severe damage to her private area.
Cases of abuse linked to witchcraft accusations are still common in some parts of Nigeria, especially in rural communities, where superstitions remain strong. Children, women, and the elderly are often the primary targets of such accusations, leading to serious human rights abuses.
