Murder Attempt:
I WAS BRANDED WITH HOT MACHETES, BEATEN WITH IRON, AND LOCKED UP IN DARK ROOM FOR WEEKS BEFORE I WAS THROWN OUT OF THE HOUSE TO DIE.” 10 YEAR OLD BOY FROM ESIT EKET LAMENTS.
A 10 year old boy, Samuel Sunday Okon from Akpautong in Esit Eket Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State has recounted how his hands and legs were tied while his grand mother, stepmother, aunties and uncles used iron and ticks to beat him, and also used hot machetes and branded him all over his body, then locked him up in a dark room for weeks, after they realized that he became frail and almost died they threw him out of the house, but some community members fed him and give him medication which makes him to survive.
Samuel said, while on the street, in Uquo, the Esit Eket local government Headquarters he approached a man who had been helping him on the streets and asked him what he thought he could do to survive this ordeal that his family had put him through and finally rejected him. He said the man advised him to take his case to the police. The boy said he went to the police and reported the torture and abuse. The men from Esit Eket Divisional Police headquarters, Uquo, visited the house but found no one to around. They then headed to his grandmother’s church, Christ Apostolic Church to apprehend the grandmother, but her Pastor, named BASSEY ASUKE, intervened and promised to amicably settle the matter so that the the boy could live in peace with the family. But when the police left, nothing changed.
Samuel was born out of wedlock to his mother who later allows him to stay with her grandmother in Okon Community, Eket and went to a tertiary institution in the state was oblivious of the ordeal her son was going through.
The boy recalled how their church pastor in Okon-Eket visited his maternal grandmother’s home and told the grandmother to return him to his father because he’s a wizard. After their discussion, the grandmother subsequently returned him to his paternal home in Esit Eket where he was subjected to all kinds of cruel and inhuman treatments in the name of witchcraft.
The poor lad wondered how someone could be a witch, or wizard, but still doesn’t not know. He stated that if truly, he was a wizard, he could’ve deployed his witchcraft power to deal with his family for the untold hardship, torture and the mayhem they had unleashed on him
“They denied me food, threw stone at me, beat me with iron and sticks, locked me up in dark rooms for weeks and even wanted to kill me, why won’t used witchcraft to harm them if truly I was one?” Samuel asked rhetorically.
As the boy continued to be maltreated even on the streets, Samuel’s father, Mr. Sunday Peter Okon, who works out of town eventually returned home,displeased with the maltreatment brought him, Samuel to the Child’s Right and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN Children Centre) for safety, proper care and protection.
The young lad’s entire body is dotted with scars from severe injuries and burns emanating from the persistent torture he endured in the hands of his family who supposed to protect him.
The then primary three pupils in Government Primary School, Akpautong who is now taking refuge at the CRARN Children Centre, Ikot Afaha, Eket has called for justice to prevail against his dehumanization, vehement abuse and torture.
Samuel’s case highlights the urgent need for proper implementation of Child’s Right Law in Akwa Ibom State, nay Nigeria and indeed to scale up enlargement and sensitization by the government
Sam Ikpe Itauma
Head of CRARN
Learn more at www.CRARN.net