Osun govt rescues malnourished, abandoned 7-yr-old girl accused of being a witch

A seven-year-old malnourished girl who was abandoned by her family on the accusation of being a witch, was on Thursday, rescued by the Osun State Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs.

The victim was allegedly abandoned and left to die by an aunt who had been acting as her foster parent.

The rescue of the girl was coordinated by officials of the ministry in Osogbo, the state capital, in collaboration with the Osun State Command of the Nigeria Police.

The Women Affairs Commissioner, Barrister Olabukola Olaboopo, who was in charge of the rescue of the girl, said she was found in a very bad shape at the time of her rescue.

Read also: Over 4million hungry, malnourished in Nigeria ― FAO

Olaboopo disclosed that on a visit to her aunt’s residence, it was discovered that the rescued girl was fed once in a week and “she was abandoned in the backyard of the house in an environment likened to a refuse dump. They said she was a witch but there is no evidence to back that up.

“The girl was found in a weakened state; she had become skinny, too weak to stand and with broken bones,” the Commissioner said.

“The state government has taken custody of the victim and will provide her with shelter, education, feeding, health care and upkeep,” Olaboopo promised.

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