Lagos ‘bird woman’ dies in hospital

A middle-aged woman who caused
a stir at Cappa Bus Stop, Oshodi
Lagos on Friday, after being
accused of witchcraft, has died.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the
woman, who was badly burnt, was
accused of transforming from a
bird into a human being.
Some eyewitnesses claimed the
woman had fallen as a ‘bird’ from
the cable, and confessed to have
some metaphysical powers.
Although policemen from the
Mushin Division, Olosan were later
said to have taken the woman
away, she was already unconscious
before arriving at the hospital.
The Lagos State Police Public
Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth
Nwosu, while confirming her death,
said the woman’s corpse had been
deposited at a morgue.
He said, “Eyewitnesses said there
was a bird which fell down and
turned into a woman. So, a large
crowd gathered round her. She was
not attacked. Eventually, when the
police got there, they rescued the
woman from the surging crowd.
But unfortunately, she died, and
her body has been deposited at
the Mainland General Hospital’s
morgue.”
When our correspondent visited
the area, a policeman at the
junction said the woman was
coming from the Agbado Ijaiye
area of Lagos, and heading for her
husband’s residence in Mushin.
It was learnt from eyewitnesses
that a bird had been seen flying
around the area, and had hit a
high tension cable and landed on
the ground.
One Mr. Sowoloa, who claimed to
be an eyewitness, said the
passersby formed a crowd around
the bird which reportedly turned
into a woman, and busied
themselves with taking her
photographs.
He said, “It was at 12 in the
afternoon. I was also at the bus
stop with friends. We saw one of
the birds hit a high-tension cable.
It shrieked and landed on the
ground. Before we took any notice,
it was a badly burnt woman we
saw.
“It is unbelievable but it is true.
When we spoke to the woman, she
claimed to have some magical
powers, and had killed several
people. She added that she was
returning to her husband’s house
in Mushin before the incident. So,
some people started taking her
photographs.”