A 10-year-old boy, Usen Okon, who was thrown into the Imo River in the Ikot Abasi area of Akwa Ibom State, by his aunty over witchcraft accusation, has survived the ordeal.
According to PUNCH, Okon was under the care of his paternal aunt, identified simply as Ekaeyen, at Etebi community in the Esit Eket Local Government Area of the state as his parents had died.
A few days ago, Okon was aroused from sleep by Ekaeyen who took him to her husband and asked him to confess to being a wizard. When Okon denied the witchcraft accusation, his aunt threatened to throw
him into a river.
The Senior Project Manager, Mr. Ayobami Ojedokun, of NGO - the Humanist Association for Peace and Social Tolerance Advancement and its partner, Child’s Rights and Rehabilitation Network, who are taking care of the boy told PUNCH:
True to her words, on November 16, Ekaeyen actually took Okon to the Imo River and threw him into the water thinking that the boy would drown. The boy came out of the water alive and went to their home, only to be told that her auntie had relocated.”
The acting Police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom State Police Command, Mr. Iboro Victor, however said he was not aware of the incident.
“The incident is not to my knowledge right now,” he said.
Source: PUNCH
