Aunty Throw Ten Year Boy Into River

A 10-year-old orphan, Usen Okon, narrowly escaped death recently after being thrown into the Imo River in the Ikot Abasi area of Akwa Ibom State, by his aunt over witchcraft accusation.

The boy is now in care of a non-government organisation, the Humanist Association for Peace and Social Tolerance Advancement and its partner, Child’s Rights and Rehabilitation Network.

Narrating how the incident happened, the Senior Project Manager of the organisation, Mr. Ayobami Ojedokun, told Punch that Okon had been under the care of his paternal aunt, Ekaeyen, at Etebi community in the Esit Eket Local Government Area of the state since his parents died.

However, few days ago, Ekaeyen woke Okon up from sleep and took him to her husband and asked him to confess to being a wizard, after which she threatened to throw him into a river.

True to her words, on November 16, she took Okon to the Imo River and threw him into the water with the hope that he would get drown.

“She actually threw Okon into Imo River thinking that the boy would get drown. The boy came out of the water alive and went to their home, only to be told that her auntie had relocated,” Ojedokun said.