Elderly Woman Beaten to Death in Ogun for Allegedly Transforming from Bird to Human

An elderly woman, Kehinde Ojo, was lynched by a mob in the Oke-Ijeun area of Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Tuesday after being accused of witchcraft. The attack, which was captured in disturbing videos circulating on social media, showed the frail woman lying in a pit, unable to speak, while being subjected to inhumane treatment.

The mob’s actions were reportedly triggered by claims that Ojo had transformed from a bird into a human in broad daylight. A local prophetess from a white garment church allegedly raised the alarm, claiming that the elderly woman fell onto her church’s roof while she was praying. In videos from the scene, the prophetess and other community members were seen interrogating Ojo, demanding a confession.

Police officers eventually arrived and rescued the woman, taking her to the hospital, but she later died from her injuries. Kabir Kehinde, one of Ojo’s children, accused the prophetess and her son of beating his mother to death. He explained that Ojo had lost her way while visiting his brother, who lived near the church, and was attacked by the prophetess and others.

According to him, the beating began on Monday evening and continued until Tuesday morning, despite his mother’s repeated pleas of innocence. He said she was bleeding from the injuries until the day she was buried. The family has reported the case to the police, and the prophetess has been arrested.

Efforts to contact the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, for an update were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, Leo Igwe of the Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) condemned the attack, calling it an example of the deep-rooted superstition in Nigerian society. He urged the public to reject the belief that humans can transform into animals, emphasizing that such claims contradict science and logic.

Igwe criticized religious institutions for reinforcing these misconceptions, which he said lead to violence against elderly individuals, particularly those suffering from dementia or mental health conditions. He called on Nigerians to embrace science and critical thinking instead of resorting to superstition and mob justice.