“They Killed my only son” — Mother of graduate beaten to death by cultists in Otukpo cries for justice

A grieving mother, Nurse Margaret, has cried out for justice following the brutal killing of her only son, Michael, a graduate of the University of Calabar, in what she described as a targeted attack by suspected cultists.

Speaking through tears, during an interview with Meddy Olotu, the distraught mother recounted how her son, full of promise after completing his university education, was beaten to death inside her shop on October 27, 2025 — an incident that has left her devastated and alone.

“He was my only child… my hope, my everything. Everything I was living for after his graduation,” she said.

According to her, the tragedy began earlier that day when a young man identified as Adakole was allegedly being harassed and beaten by suspected cult members who were trying to force him into their group. Michael and his friends, who were at a nearby field watching football, noticed the assault and approached the scene.

When Adakole explained that he was being pressured to join the cult but had refused, Michael reportedly stepped in and confronted the group, warning them that such activities would not be tolerated in their community.

“He told them that in our area, they don’t do cultism… that they cannot come from somewhere else to force people to join,” she said.

In what appeared to be a bold act of resistance, Michael reportedly freed the victim from the attackers and walked away, unaware that his actions had marked him for retaliation.

Later that evening, at about 7 p.m., while Michael was attending to customers at his mother’s shop alongside his aunt, the attackers returned — this time more coordinated and determined.

“They were about seven… they came straight to the shop,” she recounted.

According to her, one of the attackers pointed directly at Michael, identifying him to the others. Moments later, they descended on him.

“They pointed at him and said, ‘this is the one’… and they started beating him,” she said, struggling to hold back tears.

The assault quickly escalated into a violent attack, with the group allegedly overpowering him inside the shop. Despite efforts to save him, Michael sustained critical injuries.

When she returned and saw what had happened, she rushed her son to the hospital. But by the next day, October 28, he was dead.

“When I came back, I took him to the hospital… and he died the next day,” she said quietly.

The loss, she said, has left a permanent void in her life.

“That boy was everything to me. I don’t have anybody else,” she added.

Following the incident, some suspects were reportedly arrested, raising hope that justice would be served. However, that hope was soon dashed.

According to Nurse Margaret, the suspects were granted bail after being taken to court — a development she says has compounded her grief and fear.

“They granted bail to those who killed my son,” she said.

Now, she says she lives with the painful reality of seeing the accused move freely while she continues to mourn.

Left with no strong support system, the grieving mother has been attending court proceedings alone, traveling repeatedly from her community to Makurdi in pursuit of justice.

“Any day they call the case, I go… I don’t have anybody to stand for me,” she lamented.

She expressed fears for her safety and frustration over what she described as a slow and painful justice process, even as she continues to demand accountability.

The killing has also raised broader concerns about the growing menace of cult-related violence and the vulnerability of young people who refuse to join such groups.

For Nurse Margaret, however, the issue is deeply personal — a fight for justice for the only child she had, whose life was cut short just as it was beginning.

As the case drags on in court, her voice remains steady, even through grief:

“They killed my son… and I just want justice.”