Nigerian Children Accused Of Witchcraft By Parents (VIDEO)

In Nigeria, the fear of witchcraft is rooted in centuries of tradition. However, in the past decade, that deeply ingrained superstition has sparked a startling new trend, with scores of Nigerian children now being accused of practicing black magic by their parents.

According to reports, local pastors claim witches are the cause of the nation's widespread illness and poverty. The reasons why many Nigerian parents ultimately suspect their children of witchcraft are unknown, though it may be as simple as the child talking in his or her sleep. While pastors offer high-priced "exorcisms," many of the poverty-stricken parents take to abusing, torturing and, in some cases, abandoning their child as a result.

"When a child is accused of being a witch -- that child is hated absolutely by everybody surrounding him so such children are sent out of the home," Sam Ikpe-Itauma, founder of Child's Rights & Rehabilitation Network (CRARN) in Nigeria, told CNN. He estimates that thousands are local children are affected: "A lot of them, they're either killed, abandoned by the parents, tortured in the church or trafficked out of the city."

Watch CNN's full report on the Nigerian child "witch trials" here:

Comments

[vulpecula762mm]

12:59 PM on 08/30/2010

Satan Laughing Spreads His Wings.

[american-dolt]

09:40 AM on 08/30/2010

Heartbreak­ing, Such beautiful Kids.

http://www­.crarn.net­/index.php­?option=co­m_content&­view=artic­le&id=51&I­temid=53

[lonngfello]

09:39 AM on 08/30/2010

"local pastors claim witches are the cause of the nation's widespread illness and poverty." In a poor country, desperate people make claims out of desperatio­n.

"While pastors offer high-price­d "exorcisms­," many of the poverty-st­ricken parents take to abusing, torturing and, in some cases, abandoning their child as a result."
The "pastors" are now in the business of performing exorcisms for a price while abuse of children has become acceptable (for those who can't afford an excorcism) in some effort to appease God(s).

Sounds like a case of witch hunting compounded by profiteers and guilt ridden parents who are unable to provide for their children who further the victimizat­ion of the child through child abuse.
The collective consience of human society is sometime unconscion­able.

[MJinCanada]

10:29 AM on 08/30/2010

And the pastors can use this to dominate their congregati­ons, to make themselves more powerful by indirectly threatenin­g the children.

[paxangelicus]

08:45 AM on 08/30/2010

...such parents are MORE IMMATURE than their children for doing such thing...no sense of responsibi­lities, really.

[DevonTexas]

06:07 PM on 08/29/2010

The by-product of the US exporting Christiani­ty.

[habeass]

06:52 PM on 08/29/2010

Are you f/king serious? I would suggest help, but this comment tells me chances of recovery are nil.

[DevonTexas]

09:05 PM on 08/29/2010

obscenity isn't necessary.­.. for most people anyway.

[Nick Santiago]

08:56 PM on 08/29/2010

Uh, that would be Rome exporting Catholicis­m.

[DevonTexas]

09:05 PM on 08/29/2010

agreed but it's the US exporting the hate version of Xianity.

[ValdaDeDieu]

05:21 PM on 08/29/2010

This is a tragedy...

[reasonshouldrule]

02:07 PM on 08/29/2010

Jesus wept. I wish I hadn't read this story. Those poor children, who no doubt do not understand what they're "doing wrong" or how to stop the abuse. I'm sick to my stomach.

[catrst]

03:57 PM on 08/29/2010

Google Sarah Palin's notoriety regarding support of witch hunters.

[reasonshouldrule]

10:02 PM on 08/29/2010

I heard about her witch exorcising incident. But surely even Palin isn't as ignorant as these parents.

[sunnyskiesinyuma]

04:49 PM on 08/29/2010

I could not bring myself to watch the video. How does one fight such ignorance that would cause a family to do such horror to an innocent child? My heart goes out to these children.

[reasonshouldrule]

10:00 PM on 08/29/2010

I couldn't watch it either. I just read the story and that was more than enough. Your question is important. How in the world DO we fight this kind of ignorance-­-evil ignorance at that?

[Kayte2010]

01:42 PM on 08/29/2010

Why is this happening in this day an age? We need a major change in our thinking for such nonsense to be done away with.

Please visit www.africa­nsolutionz­.com to register and take part forums for change in Africa.
Its only Africans who can save Africa. Young Africans we need you.

[TYRANNASAURUS]

03:05 PM on 08/29/2010

Why is this happening in this day an age.... because these people don't live in this day and age.......­... THAT'S WHY.

[MJinCanada]

10:38 AM on 08/30/2010

Five centuries of exploitati­on will do that to people. The Portuguese started the slave trade back in the 1500s -- although they called it a means to Christiani­ze the African population­. It's been slaves, gold and oil going to Europe and America ever since. Like every other nation with politicall­y shaped borders, Nigeria has suffered because of tribal rivalry within the country. (If you think that's backward, remember Sarajevo and your own Civil War and wars against the Iroquois, Cherokee, Sioux, Apache, Navajo, etc.)

At the present time, in your own country, corporatio­ns are exploiting the workers down into poverty, hopelessne­ss and fear while right-wing pundits extol the "God will fix everything­" superstiti­on level of religion. Be careful -- witch hunts could be in your future. And mine, unless we can vote the neocon buggers out.

[sulalives]

01:01 PM on 08/29/2010

killing witchcraft is just shameful..­.the hating of witches makes no sense...wi­tchdoctors are OK--- but witches are not--- there seem to be a theme there in Nigeria and it is disturbing­--- the catholic church went through such an event and so did the new arrivals to America in Salem----t­his theme of hating because times are hard is truly stomach uhhhgggg

[hippie4ever]

12:45 PM on 08/29/2010

Wow -- American kulture really does inspire the rest of the world.

[habeass]

07:01 PM on 08/29/2010

Please enlighten us on how American culture cause these sickbastar­ds to kiill children?

[Nick Santiago]

08:53 PM on 08/29/2010

What on earth are you talking about? American culture? African culture has been immersed in VooDoo and various forms of witchcraft since before the birth of Christ.

Now an argument CAN be made that they didn't start blaming witches and demons for 'hard times' until the introducti­on of Roman Catholicis­m. However that is the influence of Rome and the office of Pope. still nothing to do with America.

[theseusofaustralia]

10:34 AM on 08/29/2010

Dont none of these backward countries notice something? the more religion based your countries constituti­on/governa­nce is the worse the conditions are for the people. the less interferen­ce by different faiths in politics the better the society is.

[zizizzi]

03:40 PM on 08/30/2010

F&F

[gypsylcd]

09:32 AM on 08/29/2010

1. Once again, the unexpected (and maybe unintended­) results of Western cultural/r­eligious meddling in African culture.

2. This happens while in Tanzania, African albinos are murdered for body parts in a witchcraft trade - http://www­.msnbc.msn­.com/id/34­182250/

Africa is NOT some monolithic culture or language.

[eric14]

11:52 AM on 08/29/2010

Witchcraft and magic precede white entrance into Africa. Get off the blame game. Won't do you any good.

[Hirnlego]

12:48 PM on 08/29/2010

There are however evangelica­ls who teach nonsense such as this in Africa.

[sulalives]

12:50 PM on 08/29/2010

not you but the truth it will do much good deal with it

[GeorgieMark]

06:05 AM on 08/29/2010

I think this has more to do with people (who are unfit to be parents) taking advantage of an asymmetric power relationsh­ip and blame their own shortcomin­gs or misfortune onto their children who are incapable of fighting back.

[gypsylcd]

09:26 AM on 08/29/2010

"Asymmetri­c power relationsh­ip" is a fairly sterile concept when you're trying to describe or understand a much more different, gritty culture.

[netaholic13]

05:55 AM on 08/29/2010

has anyone heard about Child's Rights Convention­?

[gypsylcd]

09:36 AM on 08/29/2010

To the best of my knowledge, although the US signed this, it has never ratified it and is in fact, along with Somalia, one of only 2 countries in the world that never did ratify it.

We could discuss why that is even under Democratic administra­tions, but clearly no action is louder than words.

[AKL1985]

02:51 AM on 08/29/2010

those poor kids... the world is a sick sick place