CRARN Chair Condemns Brutal Killing of Three Children Over Witchcraft Accusations In Bayelsa
Eket, Nigeria — The Co-founder and Chair of the Child’s Rights and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN), Mrs. Elizabeth Wilson-Itauma, has strongly condemned the recent poisoning and killing of three children by their father in Bayelsa State following unfounded accusations of witchcraft.
Speaking at a CRARN empowerment event held at the organization’s center in Ikot Afaha, Eket, where women received farm tools and equipment to support agricultural activities, Mrs. Wilson-Itauma decried the persistent and deadly impact of child stigmatization in Nigeria. She emphasized that the labeling of children as witches has led to the loss of countless innocent lives, warning that without proactive government intervention, vulnerable children will remain at risk of abuse from misguided families and self-styled religious figures.
Mrs. Wilson-Itauma criticized the pastor whose prophetic declaration reportedly instigated the father to take the law into his own hands. According to reports, two of the children died instantly in the bush after being force-fed a toxic substance known as Sniper, while the eldest was hospitalized in critical condition. The children’s father and uncle have been arrested and are making confessional statements. Mrs. Wilson-Itauma urged authorities to also arrest the pastor involved, citing his role in the manipulation and psychological coercion that led to the tragic murders.
She noted that the breakdown of the children’s family following divorce contributed to their vulnerability, highlighting how single-parenting, economic hardship, and dysfunctional households often correlate with child abandonment and violence rooted in witchcraft stigmatization.
With over 22 years of humanitarian service, Mrs. Wilson-Itauma reaffirmed CRARN’s commitment to child protection, revealing that the organization has supported more than 10,000 children and women since its establishment in 2003. She called on the Nigerian government to intensify public awareness and advocacy efforts to eliminate the practice of labeling women and children as witches, and to bring justice to victims of such abuse.
