A Nigerian girl, Miriam, has graduated from the Akwa Ibom State University 11 years after she was accused of witchcraft and almost k!lled by villagers.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, Danish aid worker, Anja Ringgren Lovén, who rescued Miriam, celebrated her achievement.
The aid worker said she and a member of her team rescued Miriam from a bush where she had hidden after locals accused her of being a witch and tried to k!ll her.
Narrating her ordeal, Miriam said she had witnessed two of her friends being k!lled after they were branded witches.
According to Lovén, Miriam was so traumatized she did not speak for a long period after her rescue.
“11 years ago Land of Hope’s Director of Child Development Nsidibe Orok and I drove out alone to a local village,” she wrote.
“We have gotten a tip that a young girl was in danger. She was accused of being a witch and some of the locals wanted to k!ll her !
“When we came to the village we immediately felt hostility. We found the young girl and she showed us where she was hiding inside the bush.
“It was all filmed for a documentary aired on Danish national TV in 2016. It was the day we rescued Miriam!
“Orok and I drove Miriam to Land of Hope. While driving the locals started running after the car and screamed they would k!ll all of us. We did not have police protection back then.
“We drove faster and escaped the dangerous situation.
“In the evening my husband David and I sat down with Miriam to know the full story.
“Miriam told us that two of her friends were also accused of being witches but they did not survive.
“One was burned alive and the other had a rope tied around his neck and Miriam witnessed how he was strangulated!
“She was so traumatized and for a long period after we rescued her she did not speak.
“But just look at her today !! 11 years after her rescue Miriam was celebrated this weekend at the Convocation Ceremony of Akwa Ibom State University !
“Miriam now holds a Bachelor degree of Art in History and International Relations !!
“Congratulations to my strong and beautiful daughter! You faced so much evil but love conquers all ! #childrennotwitches.”
