This is ten year old Jeremiah Victor Friday who was not only robbed of his childhood but accused, stupendously, of witchcraft.
His life turns overnight into a tale of torture and beatings inflicted on him by his mother and father, until he is rescued. His story has a happier ending than that of millions of children who are effectively sold into slavery.
The ancient and odious business of selling our fellow human beings into forced
labour-slavery - is very much alive in Nigeria. It has taken on more
complicated and pernicious forms and in the case of the trafficking of our
children, has reached alarming proportions.
From the North to the South, the internal trade and trafficking of children is on the increase. The tentacles of the trade reach beyond our shores into the West African hinterland and beyond to Europe.
Nigeria is second only to China in child trafficking into the
United Kingdom. For as little as $15 a child can be bought in Nigeria in a
trade that is estimated to deprive more than 5 million children of their
freedom.
Akwa Ibom has the unenviable place as preeminent centre of violence against
children where the supposedly natural impulse to protect children who are
vulnerable and dependent is jettisoned.
The minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ojo Maduekwe describes these victims of child trafficking as liars. He says children who say they have been tortured did so for money. Speaking as leader of Nigeria's delegation to the United Nations' universal periodic review in Geneva denied that torture is sanctioned in Nigeria.
The boy Jerry
My name is Jeremiah Victor Friday. I am 10 years old. I have been here for up to about a year. I was schooling in Aunty Mercy Nursery and Primary School before I came here.
I was accused of being a witch by my pastor's wife. The name of the church is City of Grace Mission International in Afaha Uqua.
Because ...because she prophesied that my mother will give birth to a new born child and that it will be a boy. But my mother came and gave birth to a girl so she said that I was the one that turned the baby into a girl so was accused of being a witch.
I was beaten and tortured. My father used petrol and fire to burn me. I stayed for three days before they treated me. I was also given crude oil to drink and I purged it.
I will never. I will never forgive my father and my mother. My mother beat me also. They did not forgive me and I will not forgive them.
My pastor's wife should be sent to jail because she has spoilt so many families. The pastor used to tell his wife to leave me alone but she did not listen to him.
I love my home more than this place, but I am safe here.
I want to become a medical doctor so that I can treat people. I want to go to a Federal School.
I will like other parents to provide their children with essential services and send their children to school. And they should not send their children out of their home because they don't know what their children will become in future.