A seven-year-old girl in Bauchi State is battling severe injuries after her brother’s wife allegedly burnt her private part with a heated knife in Magama Gumau, Toro Local Government Area.
The suspect, identified as Suwaira Ibrahim, reportedly accused the child, Habiba (not her real name), of witchcraft and subjected her to brutal assault.
According to local activist Kabiru Mohammed Abdulkadir, the ordeal began after Suwaira’s child claimed to have seen the victim “among a group of witches.” The suspect allegedly took Habiba to a man to confirm the accusation. Although the man reportedly dismissed the claim, Suwaira refused to accept the outcome.
“On returning home, she placed a knife or spoon on fire and pressed it on the girl’s private part, believing that if she were truly a witch, she would not feel pain,” Abdulkadir told WikkiTimes.
He added that neighbours were alerted by the girl’s screams and intervened. “Her cries disturbed the whole area. When we got there, we saw the situation and insisted it be reported to the police,” he said.
A video clip obtained by this newspaper shows the child’s burns extending to her thighs, with the injuries already rotting. Residents said she finds it difficult to pass urine or stool, while the stench from the wound has overwhelmed her household.
The victim has since been admitted to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi for treatment.
Police spokesperson in the state, Ahmed Wakil, confirmed the incident. He said the case was initially reported at the Toro Division but has now been transferred to the State Headquarters for further investigation.
“Some people attempted to cover up the case at the community level, but we insisted it must be brought to the Command. The matter will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted. We are going to issue a full statement on it as soon as it gets to us,” he said.
Child rights groups have long warned that superstition-fuelled accusations of witchcraft remain a persistent driver of violence against children in parts of Nigeria, despite laws criminalising such acts.
