Across social media, a growing number of individuals present themselves as love spell casters, claiming the power to mend broken relationships and reunite estranged lovers. However, their victims narrate being plagued with harrowing emotional abuse and exploitation, writes VICTOR AYENI
On the morning of May 4, 2025, tension brewed in the Awogbola family home in the Eleyele axis of Ibadan, Oyo State.
The husband, Dele (not his real name), appeared visibly agitated—his eyes heavy from lack of sleep, and his voice shifting between disbelief and frustration.
His wife, Teniola (not her real name), sat outside the building beside her travel bags, kitchen utensils, and other personal belongings.
Some of the neighbours who came into the couple’s house, in an attempt to resolve the conflict, were shocked to learn the cause of the dispute.
“She cast spells on me. I never intended to marry her; she used her charms to bewitch me. Now, this morning, I found some of the charms she was using on me, where she had hidden them in the house,” Dele told Saturday PUNCH.
Recounting how they met, the 29-year-old explained that he first met Teniola in early 2021, but he insisted that the relationship between them was not serious.
“One of my friends introduced me to her, and we were just friends with benefits, nothing more. I had another girlfriend that I was serious with at the time, but for some unexplained reason, we broke up.
“I married Teniola the following year, and the only reason was that she was pregnant. Since I married her, nothing has been working for me. My business has been going down, and now we found out that she has been using enchantment on me,” the technician alleged.
According to Dele, his mother consulted a pastor over his condition and received a revelation that her daughter-in-law had “bewitched” her son and was hindering his financial progress.
The father of one said he became suspicious of his wife’s activities when she started securing a section of her wardrobe with a padlock.
“When my mother informed me of the revelation about me, I decided to fast and pray. I didn’t know what to do, but I decided to search through her things whenever she went to her shop.
“Yesterday, I broke open her wardrobe and found a calabash which contained some fetish objects and my photo was found attached to one of them. I have been asking her to confess what she did to me, and she’s saying she meant no harm.
“Nothing has been working for me since this woman came into this house. I have lost most of my customers for no explainable reason. I am a Christian, and though she wasn’t a Christian when we met, we go to church together. So, why does she want to control my life? Why has she hexed me? What did she ask for that I’ve not done for her?” he queried.
‘I did it for protection’
Responding to the allegation, Teniola claimed that Dele serially abused her verbally and physically, noting that she sought spiritual protection for herself.
“There was a day he hit me and chased me out of the house because his shirt got burnt while I was ironing it. Sometimes, he comes home drunk and says all sorts of things to me, even in the presence of his mother. On several occasions, she has intervened and cautioned him to stop hitting me.
“I am not the one responsible for his business decline. I have a shop where I sell raw foodstuffs, and he has his shop too. I don’t know what he does to his customers that makes them leave. What does my spiritual practice have to do with his customers running away?”
Teniola explained that the calabash and spiritual objects found in her possession were given to her so she could pacify her husband’s hot temper and protect herself from violence in her business.
“It was not an evil charm against him or his family. I had to seek help so our marriage would be stronger. It’s because of the way he talks to me that I didn’t tell him. This was what I was preventing, and now he is asking me to leave his house,” she told Saturday PUNCH.
A family source who spoke on the condition of anonymity informed our correspondent that Teniola has relocated to her uncle’s residence and that several family meetings have been held to reconcile the estranged couple.
“We all make mistakes. Teni was wrongly influenced by friends who believe in such things, but she has promised to stop such practices.
“Their pastor has also waded into the matter and counselled both of them. She has shown remorse during our last meeting, and she will move back in very soon,” the source disclosed.
The ‘love spell’ market
Decades ago, patrons of love spell casters used to be confined to citizens who resided in rural areas who sought indigenous religious priests to magically match them with prospective partners.
Such transactions were not often monetary, and the recipients of such spiritual ceremonies were either intending spouses or already married couples who needed to ignite the spark of attraction.
However, in recent years, social media platforms have seen a surge in individuals claiming to be love spell casters, offering services that promise to mend broken relationships, attract romantic partners, or bind spouses emotionally and spiritually.
Findings by Saturday PUNCH showed that many accounts operated by self-proclaimed spiritualists on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok often promote their services through dramatic testimonials, before-and-after narratives, and direct messaging, targeting emotionally vulnerable users.
These love spells often involve the use of candles, photographs, flower petals, carved images, fruit, incense and ritual meals.
Some of the practitioners identify with ‘white’ magic, which is said to involve consent of the recipient, while others practice either voodoo magic or eclectic spiritual practice.
Although some experts have described love spells as harmless or culturally rooted practices, others have raised concerns about exploitation, manipulation, and the ethical implications of interfering with personal will under the guise of spiritual intervention.
A perusal of dozens of profiles, pages and groups created by these love spell casters contains photos and videos of rites believed to be performed for various clients from different countries.
“Message me directly,” a Facebook page believed to be managed by a Nigerian wrote on its bio. “I can do a powerful love spell that will return your ex-lover immediately, or a binding love spell that will work to make someone fall in love with you. It’s tested and trusted.”
“My expertise allows me to tackle spiritual problems,” a psychic named Ayomide wrote on his Facebook page. “My spell work produces immediate effects, typically within hours. The authenticity of my spell ingredients contributes to their costs. Should you require spiritual support with love attraction, contact me.”
Love gurus
When contacted by Saturday PUNCH, a self-acclaimed love doctor who gave his name simply as Ben, explained that there are processes and stages involved in casting a love spell on an estranged or unyielding lover.
“There are two types of love spells. Some spells help you find love if you are single, and those that create loving feelings between two people who already know one another.
“The first type works by making you more physically and spiritually attractive to those around you. They change your aura and make you more appealing, while the second type amplifies the love feelings already existing between two people.
“What is needed is your name and your lover’s name, so I will first consult my oracle and check what is needed to bring back your lover. You will pay for the consultation, and then when I am guided on what to do, I will tell you what you bring,” Ben explained.
When our correspondent inquired what the materials required for an effective love spell, Ben said the photo of the client or the one which was taken with the estranged lover is often used.
However, Saturday PUNCH could not independently verify the authenticity of the spells said to be cast by Ben nor reach any of his past clients.
The myth behind the act
Commenting on why clients seek out love spell casters, a consciousness theorist, Livingstone Usoro, pointed out that emotional desperation and lack of maturity push many people to resort to superstitious practices.
He explained that the spiritual beliefs deeply embedded in cultures across the country propel people to often reach for mysticism to avoid the discomfort of reality.
“When relationships collapse, instead of facing pain or reflecting inward, many turn to enchantment, seeking control through external forces rather than personal growth.
“From Facebook to TikTok, these spell casters promise to ‘bring back your lover’ or ‘tie a lover down.’ These emotional scams prey on the vulnerable—especially women—offering false hope for a fee. But what’s truly alarming is that society accepts this magical thinking as real.
“This reveals a collective awareness that hasn’t matured. A society still operating at a reactive, fear-based level will cling to illusion over truth. Instead of developing emotional intelligence, it commodifies hope and turns love into a transaction in a spiritual marketplace,” Usoro stated.
Explaining further, Usoro said in instances where these spells appear to work, it is usually the result of subtle personal effort, better communication, confidence, or behaviour change.
“The magic is imagined; the labour is real. We must challenge this culture of magical thinking through emotional education, healthy relationship models, and media literacy that exposes the illusion of quick fixes.
“Until we do, love spells will continue to cast long shadows over the very love, healing, and connection they claim to deliver—offering no real power, only false hope,” he noted.
‘I was spellbound for 18 years’
In September 2018, a housewife, Abosede Bamgbose, pleaded with a Badagry Customary Court in Topo Garage, Lagos, to dissolve her marriage, alleging that she was bewitched by her husband, James, for eight years.
The 28-year-old also told the court that there was no longer love in the marriage, adding that a spell was cast on her by her herbalist husband to win and sustain her love.
“Sometime in the year 2009, I followed my friend to a wedding at Ajara Topa, Badagry; immediately I saw James, I fell in love with him. We dated for two months and I packed my belongings to his residence in Ido-Iroko, Ogun State, without introduction or dowry paid to my parent,” Abosede said.
Earlier in the year, a housewife, Mariam Adegoke, in Ibadan, also pleaded with an Idi-Ogungun Customary Court, Agodi, for divorce, alleging that she had been under a “love spell for 18 years.”
Mariam had appealed to the court to dissolve her marriage with Lukman Adegoke because she no longer loved him, and also accused him of using charms to win her attention.
“Sometime in the year 2000, I followed Lukman to his house as a friend, but I lost my senses a few minutes after I entered his room. I could not leave the place again. I was in the house for three years before I returned to my parents.
“But I was restless for two days in my parents’ house, so I went back to him and I remained under a love spell until recently, when I regained my senses and discovered that I had married the wrong person.
“I gave birth to six children, but only two of them are alive; one of the children is under my custody while the other one is with him,” she said.
Although the respondent was not in court during the hearing to defend himself, in his judgment, the court president, Mukaila Balogun, noted that the respondent was served a court summons on three occasions but failed to show up.
“The marriage is hereby dissolved and custody of the first child is given to the respondent, and the second child should remain with the petitioner,” Balogun ruled.
Force marriage illegal – Lawyer
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, a lawyer, Mrs Morayo Ayeni, noted that consent is an important element to a valid marriage, adding that the constitution is clear about forced marriage being illegal.
“No law of the land accepts any form of marriage under coercion. Even customary law, which accommodates tradition, still requires mutual agreement, though proving coercion in spiritual matters could be tricky in court. However, it is germane to analyse the gap between social perception and legal reality.
“Marriage under charm, spell or supernatural power is a social perception which is repugnant to natural justice and equity. Nigerian law does not accept the validity of any marriage entered into without the free and full consent of both parties.
“Consent is a fundamental requirement for both Statutory Marriage (Marriage under the Act) and Marriage under Native Law and Custom (Customary Marriage), i.e both the man and the woman must voluntarily go into the marriage-breach, which is tantamount to the breach of the right to personal liberty and dignity; that is in Sections 34 (A) and 35 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). Freedom from forced marriage is not an exception,” Ayeni stated.
The legal practitioner further clarified that any marriage forged under “supernatural power” implied coercion or lack of consent, which would make it void from the beginning.
“For instance, if either a man or a woman successfully proves that he/she gave consent to marry the partner as a result of a ‘supernatural power,’ e.g charms, spells, curses, spiritual manipulation, etc, the law interprets this as coercion, duress, undue influence or vitiated consent. Such consent is not considered free before the law of our land.
“It is important to note that the act of luring another person into a marriage without his or her consent is a criminal offence under Section 361 of the Criminal Code.
“Any person married under such duress can seek annulment and potentially pursue criminal charges against those responsible. The Nigerian law unequivocally rejects the veracity of any supernatural power to create a valid marriage without the voluntary consent of both parties,” Ayeni explained.
Love can’t be forced, say clerics
“Love is a foundation of the universe and cannot be bought with money,” a cleric, Pastor Wilfred Matthew, told Saturday PUNCH. “In a healthy marriage or relationship, love flows naturally. Anybody that is collecting money from you to perform a love magic on another person is either a charlatan or has bad motives because love, as the gift of God, cannot be bought.”
Also commenting, a Muslim cleric, Ismail Adangba, stated that love spell merchants incorporate all forms of practices that involve polytheism and belief in black magic, which are not acceptable in Islam.
“Islam strongly condemns seeking assistance from anyone or anything other than Allah for matters of the heart, or any other purpose. This includes magic and spells, which are seen as a form of associating partners with Allah (shirk),” he said.
Scammers on the prowl
“I have learned my lessons,” a Lagos-based fashion designer, Solomon Obiora, told Saturday PUNCH. “In my desperation to win back an ex, I sought one of these Instagram love magicians. Not only did I lose money, but nothing changed. The last I heard, she has married and moved to another part of the country.”
Findings by our correspondent showed that in comment sections where love spell casters seek their clients, social media users issue warnings of being duped by the persons behind such accounts.
In January 2023, an Indian-based ophthalmologist complained to the police about being scammed by two Nigerians identified as Clietus Okwuchukwu, 41, and Obiwuru Uzaka, 35, who posed as love spell casters.
The suspects who resided in Delhi, India, allegedly defrauded the lady of N6.6m (Rs 12.45 lakh), claiming that they could provide solutions to her love problems.
According to the police, the doctor contacted the duo through a Google search for a ‘love spell caster’ and allegedly carried out the scam in collaboration with two others identified as Michala Ajunda and one Daniel, who was declared wanted by the police.
“Based on her complaint, the police lodged a case and collected technical evidence. A special team led by Inspector J Narender Goud rushed to Delhi, arrested the accused and brought them to Hyderabad on transit remand. The accused have been remanded in judicial custody,” the police said, in a statement quoted by the Indian Express.
The police claimed that the four accused came from Nigeria to India for a cloth business, but devised a plan to cheat gullible citizens to make money after they suffered losses in their business.
The accused persons also “opened bank accounts through brokers and posted advertisements on social media platforms and Google, along with their phone numbers, offering services in astrology, love spell casting, and solutions for life’s problems.”
‘Victims are subjected to control’
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, a psychotherapist and founder of Highfoster, Vincent Ehindero, said relationships that rely on ‘love spells’ are often characterised by emotional abuse, which includes psychological traits like guilt, fear, blame, and manipulation, to gain control.
“Spiritual manipulation invokes supernatural or religious forces to regain control. This is when people might start using what they term as love spells, divine punishment, spiritual bonding rituals (where they use a thin line of cloth to tie two small wooden human statues together, in hopes of spiritual bonding). All to instil fear or false hope in the victim.
“The tactics differ, but the central point remains the same: control and disempowerment. In cases where victims believe they are spiritually manipulated, the fear can be even deeper because it feels like something beyond human logic is at work. That makes it harder to challenge or escape without psychological and sometimes spiritual support,” Ehindero said.
Highlighting how victims who believe they were hexed could be helped, the psychotherapist noted that they need to process what they have been through without being judged or dismissed.
“They need that safe space, whether their experience is emotional or spiritual or both. Then they need to be educated on the dynamics of abusive relationships. They need to be able to spot the patterns early on and avoid similar situations in the future.
“Support systems do help as well, in making the victims create a healthier reality and atmosphere, with good friends and community. And finally, the victims would need therapy. Abusive and emotionally controlled relationships have severe consequences on victims’ mental health and behaviour.
“New unwanted coping methods and behaviour could have developed during the period in which they were actively involved in the abusive process, so they would need therapy and if spiritual beliefs are involved. Then, they can also see a good, trusted spiritual head who wouldn’t reinforce the already instilled spiritual fear and fear-based beliefs in them. The focus should be on trying to restore the person’s confidence levels in taking back charge of their life,” Ehindero added.
Saturday Punch
