Man allegedly sells grandchildren after unsuccessful exorcism in A’Ibom

Etim Ekpimah

A grandfather, Sunday Monday Udoh from Ekpene Obo in Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, took his two grandchildren, who are 10 and four years old to a prophet to exorcise evil spirits from their bodies.

It was learnt that Udoh was not satisfied with the deliverance the prophet performed on his grandchildren and hinted that he was prepared to kill them to avoid unnecessary trouble in his life since their parents were not alive.

A source said after the man had decided to kill his grandchildren, it was then the prophet told him that instead of killing them, they should be sold, adding that he had links with those dealing in such illegal affairs.

“It was at this juncture that Prophet Ikon told him he had a link for the children to be sold out to those who needed them for adoption.

“A certain Kingsley Godwin Koffi Etenam from Idung was contracted as a link man to perfect the shady deal having been a kingpin in the sales of children business. When he arrived, he took the two children alongside their grandfather, Sunday Monday Udoh to Abia State.

“While in Aba, Abia State for the sales of the children, the police were hinted which led to the arrest Monday Udoh. Though Etenam escaped the dragnet of the police, his wife, Patience was arrested,” the source said.

The police crack team which arrested the suspects for allegedly selling the two children, male 10 and the female four years old, respectively, was led by the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ifiiok Joseph of the police headquarters, Uyo.

According to Joseph, the suspects arrest was made possible following a tip-off by a community member who was monitoring their shady activity.

The police, however, are still hunting for Kingsley Godwin Koffi Etenam, Prophet Ikon and one Christopher now at large.

CitizenDiary learned that Patience Kingsley Godwin Koffi Etenam operates a spiritual healing home and a traditional birth attendants centre where she recruited young girls whom she camped in her centre and invites men to put them in the family ways and as soon as they gave birth, the children were sold to ritual or human trafficking syndicates.

Commenting on the sad news, the head of the Child’s Right and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN) Mr. Sam Itauma said children stigmatization as witches makes it easier for children to be carted away and sold out by human traffickers and ritual killers as they are often abandoned and rejected by their families.

He decried the alarming rate of fake traditional birth attendants (TBA) homes in the state and stated that such quasi and illegal operators should be fished out and brought to book.