Child Abuse: Police Arrest Woman for Battering Ward Accused of Witchcraft

Pat Stephen/

A woman in Lagos has been held by the police for battering an 8-year-old boy with horsewhip.

Forty-five-year-old Mrs Charity Iyaletu told reporters that the child was into witchcraft, when she was paraded at the police headquarters in Lagos today.

The police said she would be charged for child abuse.

Lagos State commissioner of police (CP) Imohimi Edgal, while parading the mother of two expressed sadness over increasing cases of child abuse. He said that the Lagos State police command would continue to protect the rights of children in the state.
His words: “The police received a disturbing report from one Aluko that a boy was shouting for help in a locked room  somewhere near Seme Badagry. Following the report, policemen from the command swung into action and they forced the door open.

“They found a boy with wound all over his body. His hands were tied and he was crying and shouting for help. The boy was subsequently rescued. Following investigation,  it was discovered that his aunt used horse whip, popularly known as koboko, to flog him all over his body on the allegation that the boy is a witch and she went on to lock him up and she went out.”

According to the CP, the suspect confessed to flogging the boy and always accusing him of witchcraft.

Ilayetu told reporters that the devil should be blamed for her action.

She said, “This boy is a witch. He has been tormenting since his father abandoned him for me and left. I took him for deliverance so many times but the demons in him would not allow him to change. So many times, he will tell me he would destroy this and that and he would do it.

“I took him to church and the pastor said he needed to deliver him from witchcraft. I have tried several ways to make him change but to no avail. That particular day, he went to the beach to play.  I was angry because he could have drowned and people will blame me. I was very angry the devil took over me and I flogged him with horse whip. I tied him up so that he will not leave the house.”

The victim(names withheld) said, “She is  always accusing me of witchcraft. She beats me up all the time. This particular day, she beat me because I cut my slippers. I don’t want to stay with her again.”

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