Defence
THE Abia State Police Command has arrested a man, Mr Uzoma Uwaeme, for allegedly subjecting his 13-year-old son to severe physical abuse in Aba.
The command said the arrest followed a viral video circulating on social media, showing the boy tied with a rope, brutally flogged, injured, stripped naked and left exposed under the sun.
DSP Maureen Chioma Chinaka, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Abia, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Umuahia.
According to her, the Commissioner of Police, CP Wilfred Olutokunbo Afolabi, directed operatives of the Abayi Divisional Police Headquarters to investigate the incident.
She said the operatives subsequently arrested Uwaeme, a resident of Nwokocha Street, off Udeabara Road, Aba, who was identified as the father of the victim.
Chinaka said the victim’s mother had allegedly left him and that the suspect had remarried.
She said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation, while the suspect remained in police custody.
“The victim has received medical attention, is in stable condition, and is currently under the protective custody of the Police,” she said.
The PPRO quoted the Commissioner of Police as condemning the alleged abuse, describing it as “inhumane, barbaric, and a gross violation of the rights of the child.”
Afolabi reiterated the command’s zero tolerance for all forms of child abuse and domestic violence.
He assured the public that the suspect would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The commissioner urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report cases of abuse and other criminal activities to the nearest police station or through the command’s dedicated telephone lines.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting the rights, dignity and well-being of residents, particularly vulnerable members of society.
M.P
Tags: Abia Police Command Father arrested over gruesome child abuse