A woman has been apprehended by residents of Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State after she allegedly threw her five-year-old child into a river following instructions reportedly given by a self-acclaimed seer in Benin City.
The incident came to public attention on Tuesday after videos circulated on social media, sparking widespread outrage and debate among Nigerians.
According to the woman who threw her 5-year-old child into a river in Benin, she said that after giving birth to the child, she was unable to conceive again. She also claimed that the child had not been able to walk since birth.
— CHUKS
She further explained that she later visited a… https://t.co/mLubv6xm1W pic.twitter.com/m7MJCC3GAh(@ChuksEricE) June 9, 2026
According to information accompanying the viral clips, the woman allegedly abandoned the child after a seer reportedly told her that the five-year-old was a python in human form.
In the video, the woman reportedly said she had been unable to conceive another child since giving birth to the five-year-old.
She also claimed that the child had been unable to walk since birth, prompting her to seek spiritual assistance.
According to her account, she visited a self-acclaimed seer in Benin City who allegedly informed her that the child was responsible for her inability to have more children.
“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,” she said.
Acting on the advice, the woman was said to have thrown the child into a river.
The incident has drawn strong reactions on social media, with many users condemning the act and questioning the influence of self-proclaimed spiritualists.
As of the time of filing this report, the Edo State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the incident.
