A 70-year-old woman, Talatu Joshua, was brutally murdered in Kirfi, Bauchi State, after four Muslim youths accused her of witchcraft. The assailants—Rilwanu Usman, Ali Isa, Ila Alhaji Marafa, and Jamilu Malam Usman—ambushed her on March 12, 2025, following a traditional healer’s claim that she caused an illness. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Joshua succumbed to her injuries.
The Bauchi Police Command confirmed the arrests after public outcry, but the victim’s son, Johanna Haruna, and a local church leader criticized the delayed response. Residents have called for justice amid rising cases of mob violence in the area.