An elderly woman has died in Calabar after her son allegedly doused her with fuel and set her on fire, accusing her of using witchcraft to cause the death of his child the latest in a string of deadly witchcraft-related attacks documented by rights advocates in Cross River State.
The victim, identified as Mrs Atim Akposi, also known as Atim Eyo, was attacked at her residence in Ojo (also referenced as Ojuah) community in Akamkpa Local Government Area, on the outskirts of Calabar, on Friday, August 14, 2026. According to the Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AFAW), the attack was carried out by her son, Emmanuel Akposi, after he learned of the death of his own child and accused his mother of being responsible.
Rights advocate Leo Igwe, who documented the case on behalf of AFAW, said Emmanuel entered his mother’s room and initially attempted to strangle her, but she resisted and tried to flee. He then reportedly struck her to the ground, poured fuel on her, and set her ablaze before fleeing the community. A separate account corroborated the sequence of events, noting that the attacker had travelled to his mother’s residence carrying a four-litre container of fuel and a lighter, and confronted her over the child’s death before the attack.
Mrs Akposi initially survived the attack and was first taken to a community health centre in Ojo, before being transferred to Akamkpa General Hospital, and finally to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) for more advanced care. She died there in the early hours of Tuesday, days after sustaining severe burns.
AFAW said it only learned of the attack on August 17 three days after it occurred when it received a voice note describing the incident and reporting that Mrs Akposi was fighting for her life at the teaching hospital. The organisation said it subsequently spoke with the woman’s other sons, John and Eyo, who confirmed the attack.
Emmanuel Akposi has been declared wanted by authorities following the attack and remains at large, having fled the community immediately afterward. AFAW has called for his arrest and prosecution, alongside broader accountability from state authorities to ensure the case is properly investigated.
In a statement on the case, Igwe condemned witchcraft accusations as baseless and dangerous, arguing that such claims “have no basis in reason, science or reality” and that religious figures who invoke scripture to justify persecution of alleged witches bear responsibility for enabling this kind of violence. He called on state authorities to ensure such persecutions do not continue unchecked.
The killing adds to a documented history of witch-hunting violence in Cross River State, a region AFAW has monitored closely for years. The organisation has previously intervened in cases involving mob attacks, banishments and killings of individuals accused of witchcraft across the state, and has repeatedly pressed police and other authorities to arrest and prosecute perpetrators with mixed success, as accountability for such attacks has historically been limited.
Witchcraft accusations remain a persistent driver of violence against vulnerable individuals disproportionately older women across several Nigerian states and elsewhere in Africa. Rights groups have long noted that such accusations typically arise within families or close communities following an unexplained illness, death or other misfortune, with the accused frequently subjected to violence, banishment or even death. Advocacy organisations continue to press for stronger legal protections and more consistent police response to prevent such attacks and hold perpetrators accountable.
