Under flickering lights and the sound of worship songs, a crowd at a crusade ground in Onyadama community, Cross River State, Nigeria, turned a night of prayer into a nightmare. On March 13, Grace Ekoi, a woman in her 50s, was brutally assaulted by a mob after being accused of witchcraft. Video evidence and witness accounts obtained by PREMIUM TIMES show at least eight individuals taking turns to flog her with long canes. The beating escalated as more men and women joined in, chasing her when she tried to flee. A man’s voice sang over the microphone while congregants clapped. At one point, a man poured olive oil on her, halting the assault briefly, only for it to resume moments later. Ekoi survived, but community sources say another person died. Weeks later, no arrests have been made, and there is no sign of a full investigation.
Ekoi attended the crusade seeking healing for her 14-month-old child who could not walk. She recounted that a church worker took her baby and handed it to another child. “They said, ‘Stand here, witch!’ I said, ‘Witch how? I am not a witch. I thought you called me to pray for my baby.'” She said the pastor presiding over the crusade ordered the attack. “That crusade pastor said, ‘Beat her.’ Many people beat me with sticks. I kept screaming that I was not a witch.” Her hands were tied behind her back, and she was marched on with legs. In desperation, she swore an oath: if she was a witch, she should not see the next day.
The crusade organizer, Usetu Bassey, who operates under Kabod International Church, dodged questions from PREMIUM TIMES. He claimed community leaders were present at the crusade, including the chief and clan head. “Do you think I will just go to a community and ask them to beat their own?” he said, without addressing the allegations of inciting violence. His social media shows similar patterns of women lying on bare ground during services, with young men holding canes nearby. In a December 2024 post, at least seven women were seen lying on the ground, and an April 2023 image showed a woman appearing unconscious during a crusade.
Onyadama, a farming community, is known for its land dispute with neighboring Nko community, which has led to repeated violence. The village head, Enang Erim, declined comment, saying he needed authorization from the clan head, Vincent Erena, who did not respond to calls. The police in Cross River stated they began an investigation on March 18, with spokesman Eitokpah Sunday saying the DPO visited the community to verify a reported brutal murder. But the community chief denied knowledge of the incident. Several weeks later, no arrests have been made, and the police did not address key questions about identifying suspects.
Rights advocates say this incident reflects a wider crisis. James Ibor, principal counsel at Basic Rights Counsel Initiative, said, “This is just one of the cases that have come to light. There are many that are never reported. It has been about a month, and not even one arrest.” He blamed the attacks on poverty, weak institutions, and “religious profiteering.” “The religious merchants constantly serve fear to maintain their grip on vulnerable populations,” he said. His organization filed a petition to the police but has yet to receive a response. He cited similar unresolved cases in Cross River, including a woman in Akamkpa who went missing after being accused of witchcraft and another who was burnt to death in broad daylight.
Nigeria’s Criminal Code explicitly criminalizes trial by ordeal and witchcraft-related violence. Section 208 provides that anyone who directs or presides over an unlawful trial by ordeal resulting in death is liable to capital punishment. Section 209 prescribes imprisonment for those present. Ibor says the events in Onyadama fall within these provisions. After the beating, Ekoi was taken home by some youths and later to a hospital, but her family resorted to home care due to inability to afford treatment. Her child cried throughout the ordeal. As of June 11, no arrests or prosecutions have been confirmed, and authorities have not publicly acknowledged any death linked to the incident. In Onyadama, a night that began with prayers has left victims waiting for justice.
