Many people believe in the supernatural, while others dismiss it as mere superstition. However, countless individuals claim to have encountered unexplainable phenomena. Here are ten eerie true-life accounts from real Nigerians—whether you believe them or not is up to you.
1. ZaynabTyty’s Encounter at Oshodi
At 13, Zaynab was on her way to a lesson when she witnessed something terrifying—a man walking on his head. She screamed, but by the time others looked, the man had vanished. While most dismissed her story, an older woman believed her. The unsettling experience has left her avoiding Oshodi Market to this day.
2. Lekan’s Night Visitor
Lekan recalls waking up to see a strange dwarf with a reddish-yellow face visiting his room at night. Disturbed by these recurring appearances, he told his mother, who advised him to sleep in her room. That night, he woke up screaming about a snake, though he had no memory of it. To this day, he remains terrified of snakes.
3. Joey’s Haunted Basketball Court
As a student at Federal Government College, Okigwe, Joey once heard the sounds of a basketball game—grunts, bouncing balls—early in the morning. But when he and his friends approached, the court was empty.
4. Nana’s Terrifying Market Scene
While heading to Computer Village in 2012, Nana witnessed a man touching a boy’s head during an argument. Suddenly, the boy collapsed and started scrubbing his mouth against the ground, bleeding profusely. As bystanders rushed to help, the man casually walked away.
5. Ayomide’s Shape-Shifting Woman
One cold, windy night, Ayomide woke up to shut her window. From her room, she saw a ragged woman carrying a calabash, rubbing something onto an unfinished building. As she turned around, the woman transformed into a dog.
6. Tayo’s Father and the Ghostly Girl
In the 1970s, Tayo’s father and a friend met a beautiful woman at a bar in Ibadan. She complained of the cold, so his friend lent her his jacket. The next day, they visited the address she gave them. An old woman answered and, after confirming who they were looking for, led them to the backyard—where they found a grave with the girl’s name on it. His friend’s jacket was neatly folded on the grave. Shortly after, he fell seriously ill and developed strange boils all over his body.
7. Hawwa’s Grandmother and the Bottomless Oil Can
Hawwa’s grandmother once sold palm oil in precolonial Nigeria. One day, a mysterious customer brought a tiny can to buy oil. Without realizing it, she kept pouring—filling an entire liter into the small container. Suddenly, she heard her own mother’s voice warning her to run. When she looked up, the customer had vanished. She never sold palm oil again.
8. Chidu’s Encounter with an Unsettling Woman
As a student at Federal Government Girls College, Umuahia, Chidu and her friends once saw an eerie old woman near the abandoned carpentry shed of a former school worker. The woman asked for help carrying her load—but before she could say more, the students ran for their lives.
9. Tope’s Bewitched Teacher
At Mayflower School, a notoriously strict teacher once flogged a student. Soon after, he began acting strangely—wandering the school, picking up trash, and refusing to stop. Another teacher intervened, using what some believe was a counter-charm. When the spell broke, the teacher had no memory of why his hands were full of garbage.
10. Osagie’s Vanishing Arm
In 2004 at Challenge Bus-Stop, Ilorin, Osagie witnessed a disturbing incident. A young man rudely elbowed an elderly man while trying to enter a taxi. When confronted, the young man arrogantly threatened to slap the old man. The elder dared him to try. As the man raised his hand, his entire arm vanished, leaving only his palm attached to his shoulder. Osagie ran for over a kilometer in shock.
These eerie tales, whether real or exaggerated, offer a glimpse into the mysterious and often chilling side of Nigerian folklore and urban legends.
