Outrage as Nigerian self-styled prophet punches teen girl blind

A controversial cleric, Prophet David Nyong Okon, founder of The God of A Stainless Hand International and The Land of Settlement Fellowship, has been arrested by the Cross River State Police Command after reportedly punching a teenage girl in the eye—an attack that has left her permanently blind in one eye.

The incident occurred on Saturday, May 31, 2025, near The Home Restaurant on Obame Ikoya Street, close to the Calabar Municipal Council Secretariat. The victim, 19-year-old Godsgift Edem Edet, is currently receiving treatment at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), where doctors say a surgical procedure to save her eye was unsuccessful.

According to a report by CrossRiverWatch, the prophet had been driving recklessly when Godsgift and her friend made a comment about his erratic behavior. The cleric, visibly angered by something she said in her native language, reportedly stepped out of his vehicle and struck her violently in the eye.

“He wanted to leave the scene immediately, but some nearby youths stopped him and insisted he take the girl to the hospital,” “He first took her to a pharmacy on Marian Road, but when they couldn’t manage the case, he reluctantly drove her to UCTH. Even there, he acted rudely to medical staff and abandoned her for two weeks.”—CrossRiverWatch reports

Following growing pressure from the victim’s family and community members, police reportedly arrested Nyong last weekend.

Police have yet to issue an official statement on whether charges will be filed.