Pictures & Stories of the Children

3/23/08

There have been continued attacks on the children living on the street spceially those at the Eket Sport Stadium in recent times. The children were again attacked last week by some irate gang. The following sustained severe injuries. They are Udoh, Friday and Joe. Though Udoh was not touched by the gang, he however jumped from the fence of the stadium, heat his leg on a stone which caused him fracture on his left leg. That means he may not be able to walk for about five month.

Friday, Udoh's brother and Joe suffered the worst beating of their lives, with injuries all over the bodies.

They said the attackers accused them of stealing cartons of indomie, crates of beer and minerals, parkets of cigarretes. They were also accused of stealing about seven chicken, a live dog, carton of milk and bread.

When I asked them why they were attacked, they said one Cicilia, 14 lead three of the boys ( Isreal {aka Udo}, Udofia and the little David, 9 )who burgled some stores at Atabong street in Eket. They were seen lying absolutely necked (and Friday in coma )beside the road with rope round their necks by the Gov Godswill Akpabio joint task force (Police and military) security team and taken to the hospital but were rejected

As CRARN went to pick them to the CRARN Shelter, one of the attendats in a respond to one of my questions, "...They are all necked and are they not thesechildren called witchesroaming the streets. They are now receiving treatment at CRARN. The man treating Udoh says he will collect N25,000 while Ellie, the CRARN NURSE projects the treatment of the two others to cost about N15,000

These children numbering about 18, do not have a definite place to stay. They usually squart around the Mobil Management Housing Estate (MHE),Eket Sport Stadium, Nka and Fiong Etuk Markets, The Mobil Mart- Mobil Filling Station. Before now, two of the girls were gang-raped and later disappeared in mysterious circumstances

CRARN finds it extremely difficult to go and pick all of them to our shelter. In the past three years, we have picked about 35 in these same spots to our centre Now numbering 141 in the CRARN Centre

. The reluctance by the Government to proscribe churches notorious for branding children witches and prosecute perpetrators- the so called men of God has continued to increase the number of street and trafficked children. This, undoubtedly, is giving us a serious cause to worry

Mr Bill Bailey, a British distinguished friend of CRARN, and Pilot from Bristow Hellicopters (Charities) with children and Directors of CRARN after he donated fund from his Company for the construction a new class room block at CRARN Academy

National Youth Service Corps, counselling the children at CRARN after making some food donation.

CRARN children returning from school

Rev Mrs Philis Sortor of the Free Methodist Church, USA, presenting a wheel chair to Akpan Samuel who was picked by the Nigeria Navy, Ibaka Mbo, Oron Axis having been dropped by fleeing traffickers, but now in the CRARN Children Center.

Akpan Samuel who is undergoing TB treatment, in his new wheel chair donated by Rev Mrs Philis Sortor of the free Methodist Church, USA.

150 kids in the CRARN CHILDREN CENTER

CRARN's Children's Academy

Miss Enobong Samuel Charles Presenting a petition signed by more than 1000 people and more than 30 countries to Governor Godswill Akpabio to stop the stigmatisation and killing of children as witches. This petition was put up by Kelli Stowe, Califonia, USA.




Jane Ikpe Essien whose mother used saw to cut her face then bannished her to live and fed by a mad woman, having been identified as witch. She is expressing her joy and bitterness at the UNICEF/NAPTIP workshop at Uyo-Nigeria.






'Reunification of children with family' shows Mr Sam Ikpe Itauma President of CRARN paying an unscheduled visit to a family at Oron to ascertain the fate of a reunited child, Good news.




Children protesting to the Governor: Almost 200 stigmatised children prosting their innocence as witches to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio and demanding the Childs Right Act to be passed into law.





These are some of the many street children yet to be rescured from the streets. They are currently camping at the Eket Sport Stadium and the Mobil Petrol Station (Mobil Mart)



Comfort Bassey who was burnt by the Brother using petrol.



Uduak Eyo who never new her father from Adam and the mother travelled to Lagos while she was 7. She was taken care of the grand mother. Uduak aunt, Rachael was seek, got swollen stomach; a witch child (Abednego) was brought to screen Uduak if she was a witch. He confirmed Uduak a witch. Since then Uduak began to face torture. She was 'tied with rope on her leg and hanged upside down for weeks in Bible Believers Church in Esit Eket...' where the rope injured her severely.

Jane Ikpe whom the mother used saw and cut her claiming for making her to lost her husband and causing the poverty in the house. She was abandoned at 6.


A child who was attacked and ran to CRARN. And the resurrected Michael who was beaten to a state of coma in Eyobia, Oron, bundled and dumped at Ikot Ubo, Nsit Ubium when presuming him death.


Children who escaped death and took refuge at the Forward Operation Base (FOB) Nigerian Navy, Ibaka Mbo LGA - Oron axis having watched as their colleagues were pierced hot pokers into their anus by adults and they died.


A girl (Happiness),9, opposite Exxon-Mobil Terminal Ibeno, soothing her broken bones. She was picked to the CRARN Centre through a distress call from one passionate Capt Nat Ovuerherhe of the Mobil Aviation Dept who started, and was willing to fund her medical bill. She was later taken to the Commissioner of Women Affairs & Social Welfare, Akwa Ibom State at the instance of Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi, a UNICEF Consultant who visited CRARN on the way forward of these children's issue.

And the other picture is Edidiong Affia, still in CRARN who was tortured by the father and step-mother claiming she has taken all their belongings to witcraft coven and caused them to poor.

A child rescued by the Nigerian Navy, Forward Operation Based (FOB) Ibaka Mbo L.G.A and issue a distress call to CRARN.





Richard who is bleeding profusely from injury deliberately inflicted on him by a colleague in their carpentry workshop outside CRARN.






A child who suffered assault on the street now receive treatment at the Immanuuel General hospital Eket.



A child of about 12 years lying down in her urine at Ibaka Market in Mbo L.G.A. She sub-conscious at the moment I (Sam Ikpe-Itauma, President of CRARN) just picked her to the hospital. A Naval Officer at forward Operation Base Ibaka yester sent a distress called on her behalf for CRARN to come and rescue. She has wounds all over her body and cannot eat solid food at the moment.

Arrival of Sam Ikpe-Itauma, President of CRARN
and the yet-to-be identified child from Ibaka Market
Beach, Mbo to the CRARN Children Camp.

UNICEF Chief, 'A' Field Office, Enugu Zone
Mrs Pelucy Ntambirweki presenting food items,
TV, DVD and other items to the CRARN children she is in
company of Mrs Nneka Oguagha and other staff.

UNICEF crew and the CRARN children
and some members and volunteers.

UNICEF AND CRARN

Twin boys Itohowo and Kufre stand surrounded by angry villagers who believe they are bringing evil to their lives

Photograph: Robin Hammond/The Observer

Eleven-year-old Mbet was abandoned by her mother when she was six after being accused of being a witch

Photograph: Robin Hammond/The Observer

Mary Sudnad is 10. She was seven when her mother poured scalding water and caustic soda over her in a bid to cleanse her of witchcraft

Photograph: Robin Hammond/The Observer

A large nail was driven into this girl’s head. Nwaeka is about 16, and now badly brain damaged

Photograph: Robin Hammond/The Observer

Gerry is eight. His father spat petrol over him and set him alight - he blamed Gerry’s sorcery for the loss of his job

Photograph: Robin Hammond/The Observer

Angry villagers set upon Udo, 12, with a machete, accusing him of being a witch. His arm was nearly severed

Photograph: Robin Hammond/The Observer

Ekemini Abia is 13. Her father tied her to a tree by her ankles and left her there. She was found, half-starved, over a week later

Photograph: Robin Hammond/The Observer

Nails were driven in around the top of Etido’s head - he is about nine and rarely speaks

Sisters Victoria, four, and Helen, seven. They were left alone in an old shack and survived by eating leaves and grass

Photograph: The Observer

Twin brothers Utomobong and Mbotidem are 11. They were blamed for their parents' separation, beaten and thrown out of their home

Photograph: Robin Hammond/The Observer

Siblings Samuel, 11, Esther, 14, and Sarah, 10, were all abandoned by their parents to a life on the streets after a ‘prophetess’ - female preacher - said they were witches

Photograph: Robin Hammond /The Observer

Twelve-year-old William was abandoned after being labeled a witch

Photograph: Robin Hammond/The Observe

Twelve-year-old William was abandoned after being labeled a witch

Photograph: Robin Hammond/The Observe