Akpabio’s Gunmen Invade Stigmatized Children’s Home In Eket

Please, for goodness sake don't bring politics into this child abuse issue.
Let's focus on how to tackle this child witch palaver and save our future generation.
I personally have been to Akwa Ibom and seen how these children roam the street and are abuse; sometime killed.
Sam Itauma and some of his staff go about in very risky areas to rescue these children. Now he is underground. Who will help these children?

The fact that internet journalism affords anyone with access to the internet the opportunity to vent their opinion does not warrant misinformation for the sake of it.

I am not a PDP or ACN supporter but it stands against every conceivable justification, the burning down of 800 brand new vehicles by the opposition (ACN). The vehicles were purchased by tax payers money and were meant for the Akwa Ibom people.

ACN in Akwa Ibom State must be condemned for this gory and wanton destruction of state's resources. The ACN guber aspirant does not represent what ACN stands for in some other states. He should be expelled from ACN before he soils their good standing.

I pray God should help us, we are now living in fear for those us living outside the state we can't even go to her hometown b/cos of one thing or the other. pls the govt should do something about it not on only treating innocent soul with gunmen..

There are a lot of challenges in Nigeria and indeed Akwa Ibom stste, However Gov Akpabio has done so many things for the state as a whole No one can say they have not seen the progress and stark difference.

There is the issue of NGOs eaggerating and exploiting a social ill for the NGOs personal gain. The emotional currency that Stepping stone was able to whip up that has translated into very large sums of money which has not found its way to the homes looking after the stigmatized children Yes the social issue needs to be adressed and indeed is being adressed by the state government. NGOs like this paticular one has become businesses in their own right. They depend on giving potential "customers" and continuous diet of tragedies (perceived or actual), in order to keep their cash-flow going... some have started to see through the hype .. what about you?

Akann, it is people like you that would not stand up for the truth simply because you eat from the crumbs that fall off the Governor's table. Or maybe I should remain you that you are such a moron that is so daft to relise the truth. How can you expect someone to shut his mouth when averring to the entire world, the atrocities and obnoxious pattern of governance perpetuated by Akpabio's led government in Akwa Ibom State. Well if you fell that the governor is right, I think you are heading for doom because soon the judgment of God will fall on you all.

I had the opportunity to live in Akwa Ibom State for almost two years. What I witnessed in the two years was unbelievable.
Around 10 pm at night, just go the town centres in Eket you will find kids ranging between the ages of 1 to 13 years wandering at night. You ask the average Eket man or woman who those kids are and they tell you they are witches.
Try helping them and you will see the wrath of the people.
Having left the state and relocated from Nigeria, I came across a documentary on channel 4 in the United Kingdom and memories of what I experienced came flooding back.
The average citizen of the state believes so much in this witch and wizard business. You cannot change the attitude of the people when the leaders are denying the fact that it does happen.
Hope the next generation of Akwa Ibom will see the light and stop killing their future

AKWA-IBOM PEOPLE LETS STOP BEING SENTIMENTAL FOR ONCE..THE SO-CALLED NGOS HAVE BADLY DAMAGED THE IMAGE OF AKWA-IBOM PEOPLE AND NIGERIA AT LARGE WHICH IS OFFCOUSE 4 THEIR MARTERIAL GAINS..IF U STAY ABROAD U WILL FEEL D STIGMATIZATION DAT GOES ALONG WITH DIS RUMOURS ABT WITCHES IN AKS..THE ORGANIZERS OF DIS NGOS SHD BE ARRESTED..MINORITY OR NO MINORITY AKWA-IBOM STATE IS A BETTER STATE TODAY COMPARED TO IT 5 YRS AGO(QUALITY ROAD NETWORK,DIGITAL LIBRARY AND FLYOVERS)..LETS SUPPORT AKPABIO

Akwa-IBOM PEOPLE LETS STOP BEING SENTIMENTAL FOR ONCE..THE SO-CALLED NGOS HAVE DAMAGED SO BADLY THE IMAGE OF AKWA-IBOM PEOPLE AND NIGERIA AT LARGE WHICH IS OFCOURSE 4 THEIR MARTERIAL GAINS,IF U R ABROAD U WILL FEEL D STIGMATIZATION,COS DIS WITCHCRAFT STORY IS OVERBLOWN..AKPABIO IS DOING THE RIGHT THING..LETS JOIN HANDS WITH HIM AND BUILD AKS.COMPARE AKWA-IBOM STATE NOW AND D LAST 5 YEARS U WILL SEE DAT THERE IS A REMARKABLE DIFFERNCE(QUALITY ROADS,DIGITAL LIBRARIES,FLYOVERS ETC).MINORITY OR NO MINORITY, AKWA-IBOM HAS BECOME A BETTER STATE..

A must read article It's Corruption Stupid! Which way Nigeria?

Instead of harrasing NGO officials and defendless children, Gov Akpabio should set up Social Services dept in the State to deal with the mountains of social problems in the State..

the money is ours..spend it on us instead of siphoning our money between you and your cronies..

I implore SaharaReporters to investigate why there are so many kidnappings and assasinations in Akwa Ibom State under Godswill Akpabio. SR should find out why Major General Edet Akpan(Rtd)was released by kidnappers less than 24 hours after the Army High Command issued ultimatum to Akpabio. SR should find out why any person that shows interest in the governorship of Akwa Ibom is assasinated.
It is only the likes of Sen Akpan Udoedehe that can bring Akpabio to size. I told them in 2009 that Akpabio is from a blood thirsty stock and should not be given the chance, but Obong Atta thought he would remake Akwa Ibom. Today people are being killed by the same person he empowered. Shame!

If things must change in this country we have to be honest with ourselves. What is wrong in someone trying to draw the attention of the appropriate authorities to a situation that require attention? The AIDS issue was talked about on the roof top and respite came for victims from kind hearted people and organizations a...round the world, same happened to TB, Polio, cholera and so on. What is wrong in a NGO asking donor agencies for aid to accomplish a noble cause? Interestingly, Apabio has not said that the two NGOs lied about this whole thing, but that they exaggerated. I think a civilized way to handle this should be to proof to the whole world that the organisations over-blew the situation. What is the governor trying to cover? what is the issue about the NGOs that calls for the heads of the officials. What happened to overloaded, overpadded, inflated contract sums? Is the governor embittered because ritual materials has reduced by the operation of the NGOs?

UYO CITY AWARDS DEBUT

Wetinhappen.com and Kardynal Kommunikationz is set to roll out what could be described as the first social re-orientational and community based awards in Akwa Ibom State, entitled Uyo City Awards, with the positioning statement –
Promise. Reward. Excellence. Uyo City Awards is symbolized in a statuette of the Ibom Connection. This icon depicts the unity of Akwa Ibom people.

Uyo City Awards is conceptualized as an annual reward mechanism to encourage the people of Uyo in different walks of life to excel. This award is leveraged on the support of thousand of people spread across the city of Uyo. This event will hold on Friday 17th December 2010.

56 categories have been created for the 2010 edition of the Uyo City Awards. All nominees to these categories shall be selected by the general public. The categories of the awards are:

1. Entrepreneur of the Year
2. Young Male Entrepreneur of the Year
3. Young Female Entrepreneur of the Year
4. Most Fashionable Male
5. Most Fashionable Female
6. Male Model of the Year
7. Female Model of the Year
8. Male Sports Personality of the Year
9. Female Sports Personality of the Year
10. Philanthropist of the Year
11. Youth Leader of the Year
12. Local Government Chairman of the Year
13. Actor of the Year
14. Actress of the Year
15. Comedian of the Year
16. Musician of the Year
17. Personality of the Year
18. Digital Graphic Designer of the Year
19. Microfinance Bank of the Year
20. IT Company of the Year
21. Hotel of the Year
22. Company of the Year
23. Multimedia Company of the Year
24. Print Communication Outfit of the Year
25. Fast Food Outlets of the Year
26. Brand of the Year
27. Shopping Mall of the Year
28. Restaurant of the Year
29. Sit-out of the Year
30. Mobile Phone Sales Outlet of the Year
31. Nursery/Primary School of the Year
32. Cybercafé of the Year
33. Cosmetics Outlet of the Year
34. Kiddies Sales Outlet of the Year
35. Corporate Building of the Year
36. Church Building of the Year
37. Decoration Outfit of the Year
38. Boutique of the Year (Fashion Outlet)
39. Photography Outfit of the Year
40. Fashion Designer of the Year
41. Up-and-coming Fashion Designer
42. Interior design Outfit of the Year
43. Beauty Salon of the Year
44. Make-Up Studio of the Year
45. Barbing Salon of the Year
46. Bridal House of the Year
47. Magazine of the Year
48. Independent TV Production of the Year
49. Radio Programme of the Year
50. TV Programme of the Year
51. Male Radio Personality of the Year
52. Female Radio Personality of the Year
53. Male TV Personality of the Year
54. Female TV Personality of the Year
55. Newspaper of the Year
56. Uncommon Transformation Project of the Year

The general public is implored to choose prospective nominees to the various categories via SMS and Email.

To choose through SMS, the public is required to text Award Category [ies] [#] Name of nominee[s] to 08024249186, 07034702955, 08068226233, 08060051118, and 08053270174.

Emails with subject Uyo City Awards 2010 nomination should be sent to uyocityawards@yahoo.com. Nominations can also be done via Facebook [uyocityawards] or on the award's official webpage www.uyocityawards.blogspot.com

Nominations to the Uyo City Awards close on Friday 1st October, 2010. Names of successful nominees will be published online and also on newspapers and posters.

Aniekan Ekah, the publisher of www.wetinhappen.com further explained that the aim of this project is to encourage, motivate, recognize, applaud and toast to excellence the offerings and enterprise of people, corporations, brand, creatives and enterprises of Uyo community. Another objective of the award is to spotlight the city of Uyo and honour people who have achieved various remarkable feats in the last one year.

Wetinhappen.com - Nigeria’s Exclusive Photoevent Magazine is an Akwa Ibom-based online magazine that showcases people, events and places. Wetinhappen.com is also involved in media and entertainment, while Kardynal Kommunikationz is an integrated communications company. Its corporate scope is the maximization and utilization of marketing communications opportunities offered through Public/Media relation, Publishing, Fashion production and Events promotion.

why not the witches and wizards hurt the gunmen

Wetin? Stop nah!

Fish out Helen Akpabio, the governor's name-sake and punish her. She is the genesis of these whole wahala. That woman is supposed to be in jail as we speak.

I wish to say here that although am an Akwa Ibomite, am not here to support or speak for the Administration of Gov. Godwill Akpabio, i have say here that this particular report is rather one-sided, i believe that Sahara reporters should have done their homework well before going to press on this issue, there is no indication or fact to support the fact that the Governor sent his so called "gunmen" to attack the camp, (the reporter even say so in some portions of the report)lets face it, i believe since the Governor went on air to say he was going to prosecute the NGO, his political opponent could have used that opportunity to attack that village to make him look bad. However, i will like Sahara-reporters to dig harder as it did in the case of Mercedes Gift to EFCC Chairman and get us the true picture behind this matter.

Akpabio, I can hardly believe you are sighted in these foolish affair. Are you being threatened or blackmailed by Helen? Beacuse I know she was the first to go after this same Itauma and the charity. Aren't there bigger problems in Akwa Ibom, like the kidnap where perhaps 1 in every 1000 Akwa Ibomites and visitors may have been kidnapped in the last 2 years. We are not able to visit our villages anymore for fear of being kidnapped without ransome money to redeem ourselves. I think this is a bigger problem for which the plain cloth and uniform secutity people can be better utilized.

Now that CNN has instigated that animal call akpabio to start terrorising those kids and their hope for surviving NGO's, will CNN continue with a followup interveiw cum expose', or wil CNN do as they have always done when it comes to africa's affairs? Start confussion and let those idiotsm kill themselves?

How are we to continue to sit and watch crime been committed by this akpabio? Who shall history hold responsible? NOt CNN nor the Western nations, but Nigerians who sit and watch but doing nothing to stop these menace, called Akpabio.

That is why you cannot find two Ibibio brothers united in business and developmental effort. The blood of children killed innocently cries out. I witnessed it at Afaha Uqua Obokidim in Eket.

What is there not to exagerate, what is wrong with the good people of Nigeria , why are we so narrow minded and self centered. are these children not the leaders of tomorrow? why turtore innocent children in this way, this is gross inhumanity to the inocent children that cannot defend themselves .
'MAY THE SUPPORTERS OF THIS UNJUST ACT HAVE THE SAME MERSY SHOWN TO THESE INNOCENT CHILDREN'

TO THE GOVERNOR you are more interested with the image of the state that you fail to secure and protect the future leaders ...you have children dont you ?Shame to you!!

the children of nigeria are our futur we should threat them well and show them the way, give them love and protection for the progress of our great nation

BOLLOCKS TO SAHARA REPORTERS & AYO AKINFE

Why don't you make sense of what you just said, how many SR readers have sent out killers because they disagree with a point of view, the truth of the matter is we have area boys, cultist and fraudsters ruling Nigeria and until we eradicate this gangster this problems will continue-- so please stop blaming the messengers (SR) and the consumers (Readers). And instead blame the criminals you call your leaders.

Akpabio's attitude is also common amongst some SR readers. When you point out home truths, you get anger and abuse. Fact is, some so called Christians have perverted the bible by accusing innocent children of witchcraft. In London, some Nigerian churches were exposed as carrying out this practice. Superstition in Nigeria is a big problem. Even people with degrees in science believe that witches can cast spells on them. Instead of shooting the messenger, deal with the problem of child neglect and abuse. Why do people abandon their own babies and call them witches? What sort of person hates a beautiful child that he/she brought into this world?
We should deal with our many problems. Foreigners can only report what they see. And if they exaggerate (unlikely) then we should clean up the problem in the 1st place.
Enlightenment is the key to Nigeria's salvation and the first step is to abandon these useless religious practises.

Akwa Ibom and Cross rivers state has a long history of destroying children due to superstition. Those who did a little bit of primary school history will remmember being taught about the effort of the lady missionary Mary Slessor who rescued a lot of twins who were thrown into the bush to die because their community belief system that suggests that twins children habours evil spirit.

I am sure if this Apkabio of a man was something when Mary Slessor was doing her good work, he will have stopped at nothing to stop her. Today we have descendants of those rescued twins who goes by the family name slessor. Now that Sam Itua has taken on the toga of Mary Slessor I think he should be allowed to do his work in peace.

This issue has been on the front burner for over one year, and it has been all over Youtube without any concrete action from the government of Apkabio to provide any kind of protection or succor for those traumatized children. Non profit groups comes into being where there was a void or vacuum and one certainly existed due to Apkabio's inaction.

The least one would have expected from Apkabio is to encourage the commissioner of the appropriate ministry that has oversight over the issue of children welfare to cater for those rejected souls and also go a step further to educate families on how to handle the issue in a humane way in order save the whole of Akwa Ibom from negative press and global attention which he now wants to ward off by use of force and harrassment.

where on earth would one reason in this light? Haboring witches, this is completely ridiculous, it then therefore mean that the Itauma person is also himself a witch.I still think that there is a better way which the Governor can handle this issue rather than sending unknown gunmen to raid their home (charity) if at all it is the governor that realy perpetrated this....

where on earth would one reason in this light? Haboring witches, this is completely ridiculous, it then therefore mean that the Itauma person is also himself a witch.I still think that there is a better way which the Governor can handle this issue rather than sending unknown gunmen to raid their home (charity) if at all it is the governor that realy perpetrated this....

SR why not leave Gov.Akpabio alone are you sponsored? I have never for once read any goodthing from you concerning him despit all he has done for the people of Akwa Ibom the NGOs are exagerating to continue getting funding pls don't destroy him if he say they should stop exagerating he is right he want people to come and invest and your telling people about withcraft if you know your not wrong come out itis an open court not tribunalas for SR please stop beeing bias pls

I bet you, when the president attends the 65th United Nations General Assembly he will tell the press the issue and allegations will be investigated and looked into properly.  Thereafter the matter will go into deep cooler until after four years; moreso if PDP wins again in Akwa-Ibom state.
 

Remember we are talking about a country where rulers (there are no leaders there yet!) have no respect for human rights, least the poor among them.  A country where it takes foreigners to take the first bold steps to bring to the forefront the heals of the society.  A country where rulers do not like to be told their country is heading towards failure.  A country where rulers prefer to setup investments and establishments in foreign countries rather than in their own country.  A country where rulers cart away billons of currency into foreign accounts, only for the country to go borrowing same money with interest (can you imagine paying interest on your own money!!) just because the rulers are patriotically and spiritually blind.
 

Just too much to talk about, it is very sad.  Remember no evil shall go unpunished.  Let us continue to pray.  God is still very much on His throne.

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM OF AKPABIO WITH THESE STIGMATIZED CHILDREN? IT IS NOT A RIGHT ATTITUDE FOR A STATE GOVERNOR WHO IS UNDER THE SEARCHLIGHT OF SAHARA-REPORTERS ON CORRUPTION TO CONTINUE MISBEHAVING. AMEND YOUR WAYS AND HELP THESE CHILDREN. STOP EXHIBITING UNDUE POWER OVER THOSE WHO ARE OUT TO HELP. LEAVE THEM ALONE OR EXPLAIN TO THE WORLD THE REASONS FOR YOUR ACTION.