Photo of 28-year-old father who beat up this 4-year-old child to coma and abandoned him at a bus station

Child abuse  as a social problem has become more recognized in Nigeria. Due to some cases of brutality by parents against their children, many organisations and nor organisation had done their best to stop this act by bringing bill or law to stop the act. Organisation like African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect (AN PPC AN)  and Nigerian child act brought  a law in  2003  to protect Nigerian children.

Earlier this week, a 28-year-old father named Sikiru Adigun Mustapha, was arrested by the Lagos police state command, for child abuse. He was arrested for beating his 4-year-old son identified as Olamilekan Mustapha to coma and abandoning him at a bus station located at Iwaya area of Yaba in Lagos state.

Sikiru Mustapha an auto mechanic, was said to have beat up this son Olamilekan Mustapha to coma with a Plank, that day. Due to series of beating,marks and scars was seen on the boy’s body. However, It was learnt that Olamilekan teachers,once reported the his case to the authorities, when they saw the marks on his body.

It was learnt that, Olamilekan’s mother and Adigun had separated some years ago. But that his step-mother, who is nursing a two-month-old baby also beat the boy ruthlessly regularly as well.

However, Sikiru Mustapha was later arrested  by the police prosecution when the Office of Public Defender invited him.

Sikiru Adigun Mustapha

Director of the OPD, Mrs. Omotola Rotimi, said a protection order was being processed for the custody of Olamilekan in a government children’s home, where the boy would be kept pending the determination of his father’s case in the court

 She also said  that the children were victims of transferred aggression but that the severity of the cases has warranted that the fathers be charged to court.

“When we were notified about the case of the young boy, it was so severe and fresh that we had to call the police. He is receiving treatment at a hospital at the moment and he would be handed over to government care for rehabilitation after that. In the case of the boy’s father we did not want the police to waste time on it. That was why we insisted he be charged to court immediately.”

In the hot iron assault case, Omotola said her office would continue to monitor the case to ensure that Ibrahim was diligently prosecuted. Rotimi said:

“The case of the girl that was burnt with iron was so severe that she could have lost her life in the process. We also have the father in custody and would ensure that he is prosecuted diligently for the severe assault on the girl.
While he kept the girl at home, he invited an auxiliary nurse to treat her injuries but the nurse did a very shoddy job. The injuries could have deteriorated and caused further damage to the girl’s body if not because we were notified on time. We had to ensure the girl receive adequate treatment first.”

It was learnt that Adigun has been arraigned and his case has been adjourned till July 20 for mention.

Source: PUNCH