Osaigbovo Iguobaro
Tragedy struck on Monday in Ojo Community, Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State, where an elderly woman identified as Atim Akposi was burnt to death over witchcraft allegations by her son, Emmanuel Akposi.
The suspect allegedly invaded the victim’s residence after a seer told him that his mother was responsible for the death of his son.
During the altercation, Emmanuel forced his way into his mother’s room and attempted to strangle her. When she resisted, she fell to the ground.
Concerned neighbours who heard the elderly woman’s cries rushed to the scene and rushed her to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) for emergency medical care.
However, Atim—also known as Atim Eyo—succumbed to her injuries at UCTH on Friday, August 14, 2026, after suffering severe burns when the suspect allegedly doused her in petrol and set her ablaze.
The victim had previously ignored warning signs after the suspect threatened to eliminate her, repeatedly accusing her of causing his child’s death.
The suspect’s elder brother, Mr. Eyo Akposi, stated in a telephone interview with Vanguard that Emmanuel had targeted their mother with witchcraft accusations for years.
”Before now, he had been accusing our mother for years of being a witch.
He told people that some pastors told him that our mother was a witch,” Eyo said.
“He even accused her of being the cause of the death of his child. He confronted her many times, trying to kill her, until the incident of last week.”
Describing the attack, Eyo added: “On that day, he entered her room and tried to strangle her. When she resisted, he hit her and she fell to the ground. Then he poured fuel on her, set her on fire, and fled immediately afterwards.”
The spokesman for the Cross River State Police Command, SP Eitokpah Sunday, confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday.
”The unfortunate incident did occur as alleged in the report,” SP Sunday said. “However, the Police Command is currently making concerted efforts to apprehend the suspect, who is presently at large, to enable him to answer to the allegations against him.
Further information will be communicated to the public as soon as the suspect is apprehended and the facts of the matter are further established.
