Man Sets Building Ablaze, Two Children Suffer Burns

Child abuse remains a major
problem in most Nigerian societies, in spite of concerted efforts by governments organisations and well-meaning individuals to ensure a
reliable future for these leaders of tomorrow.

Two children have suffered
burns in controversial circumstances in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

The police say it’s the outcome of an allegation of child witchcraft while
the children describe themselves as street kids who had nowhere to go
but took shelter in an uncompleted building in the outskirts of Uyo.
Eight year old Namanso Edet-Bassey in a hospital bed with severe
burns said that her parents were no longer together, so she sleeps in
an uncompleted building. Another victim is Kufre Effiong, the nine year
old boy also calls the street home. They were both burnt in the fire set
on the uncompleted building.
They were rescued by a Sister from a Catholic Convent located in the
outskirts of Uyo and the convent has made a formal report to the
Police.
“I saw a group of children gathered in our gate, so I went in to check to
see what happened because they were all primary school children.
There I discovered there was a child inside the gutter, I called the child
to come out he could not come out, so we pulled him out.
“When we pulled him out we discovered that he had burnt from his
buttocks down to the toes. I took him to St. Luke’s Hospital and there I
was asked to get a Police Report before the child would be treated”, the
Reverend Sister said.
The Police have expressed optimism that their investigations would
yield fruits. Police Public Relations Officer in Akwa Ibom State, Etim
Dickson, confirmed .