8-year-old boy allegedly kicked out by his stepmother in Akwa Ibom escapes from suspected human trafficker while roaming the streets

Child’s Right And Rehabilitation Network (CRARN) has rescued an 8-year-old boy who was allegedly thrown out of the house by his grandmother in Akwa Ibom. 

CRARN, in a statement on Friday, August 27, said that the boy identified as Sunday, from Oron Local Government Area of the state, was almost kidnapped by a woman said to be a notorious human trafficker while roaming the streets of Eket. 

“Sunday is 8 years old and from Oron local government area but lives with his father and stepmother in Akai, Ubium, Akwa Ibom State. His father who is a dealer in local gin left him behind with his stepmother and traveled to Cameroun for his usual business. His stepmother wasted no time than to throw him out of the house. He has been roaming the streets of Eket begging for alms for about six months,” the statement read.

“On this fateful day fateful day, a lady who has a notoriety for human trafficking was on the sprawl after Sunday. She cornered Sunday and sent him to buy her a sachet water and some snacks in James Town junction along Eket-Oron Road, Eket.

“When the little lad returned, he informed her that there was no change and the woman was keeping the money; she suddenly realized that nobody was monitoring her. She stopped a bike and wanted to mount Sunday and whisk him away but luck ran out on her as the sachet water lady came calling to give her money back

“Of course she knew Sunday has been around that area for a long time roaming the streets, so she raised an alarm and people clustered around her with Sunday.

At that moment, the CRARN team was called in and luckily, the CRARN team members were having a meeting around that vicinity. As soon as she realized this, she pretended as if she wanted to get another sachet water and disappeared in thin air

Sunday was then taken to the CRARN children’s Center, Eket where he is receiving psychosocial support.