VIDEO: Woman detained for throwing disabled five-year-old child into Edo river

Community members in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria, have detained a woman accused of throwing her five-year-old disabled child into a river. The alleged act followed instructions from a self-proclaimed seer in Benin City, who reportedly claimed the child was a python in human form.

Viral videos circulating on social media show the woman explaining her actions. She stated that she had been unable to conceive another child after giving birth to the five-year-old, who had been unable to walk since birth. Seeking spiritual intervention, she visited a seer who allegedly told her the child was the cause of her infertility and that she must get rid of him to either conceive again or avoid bearing more children with similar conditions.

The incident has generated widespread condemnation and debate online. Many social media users expressed outrage and questioned the influence of such spiritualists. Some users expressed sympathy for the woman, blaming the seer for deception, while others questioned her maternal instincts. As of the report's filing, the Edo State Police Command had not issued an official statement, with the Police Public Relations Officer stating she was unaware of the occurrence. The full circumstances, including the child's condition and whereabouts, remain unverified.

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The seer told me that the child was a python and that if I did not get rid of the child, I would either continue giving birth to children with the same condition or never conceive again.