Sharia law | Ritual Killing In Africa

Detailed circumstances are not yet unknown but one thing is clear: the brutal killing of an innocent woman who was accused of witchcraft.

The revolting crime was allegedly committed by three men including a son of the murdered lady. It all happened in the Northern state of Jigawa.

Jigawa State is located in the North West geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones commonly called zones). With a surface area of 23.154 km2 Jigawa State ranks 18th (out of 36 states) and with an estimated population of about 7.3 million people in 2025 (7 million in 2020) it occupies the 9th position.

The capital of Jigawa State is Dutse. The state is well-known for the Dutse Habude cave paintings.

Until 1991, Jigawa State was part of Kano State. Its bordes the Republic of Niger. The majority of the population are Muslim and of Hausa or Fulani (called Peul in francophone Africa) background. JIwaga State is with eleven other Nigerian States governed by Sharia law.

Jigawa man arrested for killing mother over witchcraft claim

Published: August 29, 2025
By: Dayo Oyewo – Punch, Nigeria

A 25-year-old man, Jibrin Ado, has been nabbed by the police in Jigawa State for killing his mother on suspicion of witchcraft in the Gerawa area of the state.

PUNCH Metro learnt this on Thursday from a statement on X by security expert, Zagazola Makama. (See article below Police arrest man over alleged killing of mother accused of witchcraft in Jigawa – webmaster FVDK)

According to him, Ado perpetrated the act alongside some accomplices on Tuesday.

The accomplices were identified as Musa Kwalle, Dan Abba, Sule Musa, and one Arrow, all of Gerawa village.

“Sources said that on August 26 at about 4:30 p.m., the suspect, identified as Jibrin Ado of Daneji Village, conspired with others – Musa Kwalle, Dan Abba, Sule Musa, and one Arrow, all of Gerawa Village – and trespassed into the home of his father, Adamu Saleh.

“The suspects beat up his (Saleh’s) wife, Magajiya Ado, 50, with heavy sticks until she became unconscious, accusing her of witchcraft,” he wrote.

Makama further stated that the victim was rushed to General Hospital in the Ringim area of the community, where she died while receiving treatment.

“Sources said that her corpse had since been released to the family for burial. The sources added that one of the suspects, Jibrin Ado, had been arrested while others were still at large,” he concluded.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Lawan Shiisu, promised to find out and revert. He had yet to do so as of the time the report was filed.

Source: Jigawa man arrested for killing mother over witchcraft claim

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Police arrest man over alleged killing of mother accused of witchcraft in Jigawa

Published: August 28, 2025
By: By: Zagazola Makama Nigeria (

The Police Command in Jigawa has arrested a 25-year-old man over the death of his mother, whom he and accomplices allegedly attacked on suspicion of witchcraft.

Sources said that on Aug. 26 at about 4:30 p.m., the suspect, identified as Jibrin Ado of Daneji Village, conspired with others – Musa Kwalle, Dan Abba, Sule Musa and one Arrow, all of Gerawa Village – and trespassed into the home of his father, Adamu Saleh.

“The suspects beat up his wife, Magajiya Ado, 50, with heavy sticks until she became unconscious, accusing her of witchcraft,”said the sources.

According to the sources, the victim was rushed to General Hospital, Ringim, where she died while receiving treatment.

Sources said that her corpse had since been released to the family for burial.

The sources added that one of the suspects, Jibrin Ado, had been arrested while others were still at large.

Source: Police arrest man over alleged killing of mother accused of witchcraft in Jigawa

Niger State is no exception to the general observation that ritualistic murders are being committed in each of Nigeria’s 36 states (and the Federal Capital Territory). Though I certainly have not covered all recently reported and suspected ritual murder cases in Niger state, which is located in the North central Region of Nigeria, I did report a few since the start of this site in 2018. See my postings of September 15, 2019, August 30, 2022, and February 21, 2023.

Niger State is Nigeria’s largest state covering a total area of 76,363 km² (29,484 sq mi), approximately 9% of the total land area. The state capital is Minna, major cities include Bida, Kontagora, Suleja, and Wawa. Niger State’s total population is an estimated 7 million people and composed of numerous indigenous tribes.

The state’s population is mainly muslim, hence Niger State is one of Nigeria’s states where the Sharia law was adopted – since May 4, 2000. The state is also known as The Power State because of its economic potential and abundant natural resources including coal, crude oil, gold, iron ore, phosphate, tin, and uranium.

A Niger State High Court sentenced a convicted ritual murderer, Tunde Tayo, to death by hanging. He was convicted to have murdered for ritual purposes Abdullahi Janiya Yahaya, in Minna in 2019.

Though I strongly support the prosecution of suspected ritual murderers and the rule of law, I have my doubt about the effectiveness of the capital punishment as a deterrent. The phenomenon of ritualistic murders is too complicated to eradicate by only harsh punishments.
(webmaster FVDK)

Niger Court Sentences Man To Death By Hanging for ritual murder

Published: January 11, 2024
By: Abu Nmodu – Leadership, Nigeria

A Niger State High Court has convicted and sentenced one Tunde Tayo to death by hanging for the murder of Abdullahi Janiya Yahaya in Maitumbi area of Minna.
He was accused of conniving with his friend now at large to kill Yahaya for ritual purpose by cutting his head and burying his body in a shallow grave around Maitumbi area of Minna in 2019. The judge, Justice Mohammed Mohammed handed down the sentence yesterday in a judgement delivered for over two hours.

After reviewing the case and submissions of the parties involved, Justice Mohammed held that the circumstantial evidence against the accused by the prosecutor was strong, cogent and direct. The judge reviewed that the convict was arraigned on two count charges of robbery and culpable homicide under sections 298 and 221 of the penal code.

The judge, reviewed that the convict admitted in his statement to the police that he owns the uncompleted building, that the body was buried adding that, “although he denied killing the deceased, circumstantial evidence established that he was last seen with the deceased and that he committed the crime.”

The judge said, “On the charge of robbery on section 298 of penal code, you are sentenced to life imprisonment. On the second count charges of culpable homicide under section 221 of the penal code law, you, Tunde Tayo is hereby convicted and sentenced to death by hanging until you die. May Almighty God have mercy on your soul”.

Source: Niger Court Sentences Man To Death By Hanging

Ritual Killing In Africa

Human Rights, Rule of Law, and Superstition in Africa

Category Archives: Sharia law

Nigeria: Police arrest man over alleged killing of mother accused of witchcraft in Jigawa state

Nigeria: Niger State Court sentences man to death by hanging for ritual murder