Helen Ukpabio and the Akwa Ibom child-witchcraft controversy

Record summary

Nigerian Pentecostal preacher Helen Ukpabio became a prominent figure in controversies over children accused of witchcraft in Akwa Ibom and neighboring areas. Her film and ministry were criticized by child-protection advocates, while supporters rejected allegations that she caused abuse. The lead matters for comparing Christian deliverance practices with older divinatory and occult categories, especially how public preaching, testimony, and ritual authority can transform accusations. Researchers should separate Ukpabio’s documented public activities from broader claims about all Nigerian churches or every reported child case.