A woman has been detained by community members in Ovia North-East Local Government Area, Edo State, after she allegedly threw her five-year-old child into a river, reportedly acting on instructions from a self-acclaimed seer in Benin City.
The incident came to public attention on Tuesday after videos circulated on social media, sparking outrage and debate nationwide.
The clips were shared by an X user and quickly gained traction, drawing condemnation from many Nigerians.
According to information accompanying the videos, the woman allegedly abandoned the child after being told by the purported seer that the five-year-old was a python in human form.
In the footage, the woman is heard claiming she had been unable to conceive again after the child’s birth and that the child had been unable to walk since birth, circumstances she said led her to seek spiritual intervention.
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She alleged that the seer told her the child was responsible for her inability to have more children and warned that failing to "get rid" of the child would result in continued infertility or the birth of children with similar conditions.
The claims and the alleged act have provoked reactions online, with many condemning the influence of self-proclaimed spiritualists and calling for accountability.
While some users showed sympathy for the woman, others questioned how such advice could be followed under any circumstances.
An X user said:
"I pity the lady though, she’s tired of the child and at the same time needs another, I blame the seer for deceiving her, but what if the seer is true?"
Another said:
"Someone told you to throw your own child and you accepted. I have said this before, some people don’t deserve to be mothers."
As of the time of filing this report, the Edo State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement.
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