Photos: 6yr old Effiong lived in the bush for one year to avoid 'witch killers' in Akwa Ibom

A huge number of trashed 'Witch Children' have discovered asylum at CRARN focus, in Akwa Ibom. The kids were marked as "witches" by chapel serves and have been thrown out by their families and evaded by society.

One of them is six-year-old Israel Effiong, from Ikot Uso Ekong, Eket, who was blamed for being in charge of his dad's sickness. Dreading for his life, he fled and covered up in a shrub for a year prior to he was safeguarded by Edoho,a volunteer with the association.

Edoho, himself is previous tyke at CRARN Children Center. He now serves as one of the volunteers who safeguard youngsters to the inside.

"At the point when my dad turned out to be sick and taken to a healing facility, my stepmom inquired as to whether I knew anything about his disease. I advised her that I couldn't ponder my dad since he's the supporting me," Effiong relates.

"At the point when his sickness got ugly, my stepmom got to be furious with me.

In the evenings, she'll wake me up, tie my hands and legs then poured wild ants everywhere on my body while requesting that I soothe my father from the witches coven. Now and again she would tie my hand and legs, started to hit my heads with sticks and electrical wires.

She quit giving me sustenance and kept me out of the house. I went and advised the neighbors living near us. She said she couldn't permit me to remain with her in light of the fact that my stepmother will be irate with her.

"The general population living around us started to despise me and requested that not approach their youngsters. I went and dozed in the town lobby. One night, a few men came and saw me there, they conveyed me out and requesting that I move as witches. When I let them know that I didn't know witches move, they utilized adheres and matches to beat me. A man who was going by came and let them know not execute me. They cleared out me and cautioned me not come there once more. I went and remained in a shrub and be turning out in the night to get extra from the market rubbish

"One day, I was drained and rested off in the market, a kid by name Edoho came and saw me there and let me know he would return and take me to a sheltered place where other youngsters like me are living. I let him know where I regularly remain in the bramble.

Recently, he came and took me the CRARN Children Center, Eket. I'm exceptionally happy to remain here on the grounds that I would go to class again and rest without dread of the obscure."