Two “Witch children” Rescued from Traffickers
On February 11, 2011 I led a team of child rights activists and a police officer who rescued two children – Freedom Peter Okoro-Oko (8) and Anietie Mfon Ime Etuk (10) – following a tip off from our local contacts in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The kids were living in a shanty buiding with an old man, Asuquo Akpan Ukpong, whose family members – according to local sources – trafficked children.
Freedom and Anietie were accused of witchcraft and then abandoned by their families. They were living in the local market square before they were ‘picked up’ by Mr Asuquo who used them as child labourers. (Asuquo, we were told, used to send children to work for him on his farm. They were peeling cassave at the time our team arrived.) Sources in the community said the children could disappear any moment because Asuquo’s family members were into human trafficking and had targeted child witch victims in the community.
At the local police station, officers confirmed that two members of Asuquo’s family had, in the past, been arrested for human trafficking. I made a report at the station and later handed over the two children to Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare in Uyo for proper care and other necessary investigations.
I needed some good news today. And something to help keep life in perspective. Thank you for the work you do, sir. I can’t imagine how taxing it must be.
Yes indeed; thank you, Leo.
I think that your work for two young lives is exemplary. Thank you from a parent/grandparent who looks at children and sees hope and promise, and can’t abide people who look at children only to see what cash they will provide as objects. I would bet that the witch-accusers and the traffickers have mutual interests and encourage each other to do their evil.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Heaven's Attic and SCTNow, Rational Humanist. Rational Humanist said: Two “Witch children ” Rescued from Traffickers #humanism #atheist http://tiny.ly/jamz […]
Keep up the good work, Leo. The world needs people like you to help children who are not valued or recognised by their own mothers or fathers. Their crazy beliefs systems come before their own flesh and blood. It’s not the one’,s who blow their own trumpets who should be getting acknowledged by the world, but indeed, activists like yourself who risks life and limb for the truth. It’s painful to read stuff like this on B&W.