Pastors, Stepmothers Connived To Call Children Witches

Non-
governmental
organisations in Akwa
Ibom State, Young
Humanistas Network
and Child Rights
Rehabilitation
Network, have
accused pastors and
stepmothers of
conniving to label
children witches.
The NGOs said they
arrived at such conclusion
after finding out that many
of the children rescued
from churches were those
living with their
stepmothers.
Field Administrator and
Head of the Home, YHN, Mr.
Emmanuel Okon, said this
in Esit Eket, Akwa Ibom
State on Tuesday.
He also accused some
pastors of telling their
congregations that NGOs,
like the Young Humanistas
Network, were occultist
groups and should be
ignored.
Okon said, "When we went
to Ibaka, we met over 70
pastors during their
church programmes, who
lined up children they
claimed were witches. We
told them that the present
Child Rights Law in the
state would not take it
kindly with them and
advised them to jettison
the practice.
"If you send invitations to
them and tell them that you
are an NGO and would like
to visit their churches;
they will turn it down,
accusing you of occult
practices.
"They said we are
unbelievers. When we had
seminars with a few of
them sometimes ago, we
told them that we have
members from Deeper Life
Christians Ministry,
Redeem Christian Church of
God, Latter Day Assembly
and much more who work
with our organisation. We
informed them that our
organisation is not biased
religiously."
It was learnt that about
200 children tagged
witches were moved from
the home in May 2011 by
the state Ministry of
Women Affairs and Social
Welfare.
Although YHN and CRRN
had been shut down by the
government, members of
neighbouring communities
and the host community
still take stigmatised and
abandoned children to the
centre.
Meanwhile, four boys,
Samuel Monday, Okon Ita,
Benji Michael, and Asuquo,
whose ages range
between 6 and 11 were
seen at the home.
Okon said the children
would be handed over to
the Motherless Children
Home, Uyo.
One of the children,
Michael, while answering
question whether he was a
witch, said, "I don't know
what form or colour
witches look like. I don't
know anything like that,
but my parents abandoned
me saying that I am a
witch."