A woman, identified simply as Onyebuchi, has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly maltreating her 10-year-old houseboy, identified only as Daniel, in the Bode Thomas area of the state.
It was gathered that Onyebuchi sent Daniel to get fuel for her, but while on his way, a yet-to-be-identified good Samaritan approached the boy when he saw him writhing in pain from the injuries he sustained during an alleged maltreatment by the woman.
While being questioned by the good Samaritan, Daniel said in a footage posted by @ubifranklintriplemg on Instagram, “They used sticks to beat me,” but when asked who was responsible for his condition, he said, “One person, who is my aunt.”
He added that he had not eaten at all that day.
However, it was learnt that the good Samaritan gave Daniel N1,000 to buy food and reported the incident to the representative of a non-governmental organisation, the Auntlanda Bethel Foundation, which informed the police so that the boy could be rescued.
When the foundation’s representatives, led by one Dr Yolanda Angel-David, visited Onyebuchi’s residence on Chief Natufe Street, off Babs Animashaun, Bode Thomas, she was seen in another footage denying that she maltreated Daniel.
She was heard saying, “I was not the one that beat him; he has been with me for one month as they just brought him for me. I can show you his pictures; they just brought him for school. It is not me that brought him from the North, but he is living with me. I gave him Malt this morning.”
However, while being questioned at Onyebuchi’s residence, Daniel said he had been staying with her for a month, adding that he was beaten for collecting N1,000 from the good Samaritan.
The minor said, “I came last month; I came to this house to school. My mum has died but my father is in the village. I am from Jos. They beat me when I went to buy fuel. They beat me because somebody stopped me on the road and gave me N1,000.”
It was learnt that personnel of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba, arrested Onyebuchi for allegedly abusing the minor
A source said that the injuries sustained by Daniel were so severe that he could not sit on his buttocks.
The source said, “The woman (Onyebuchi) has been arrested; she abused the boy to the point that he could not sit on his buttocks. His hands were also swollen and he has been taken to hospital for treatment.
“The boy is a domestic worker to the woman; her relative in the village sent him to her and she had been using him as a domestic worker. Although the woman denied beating him, the boy kept accusing her of beating him.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident, adding that Onyebuchi had been arrested and investigation into the incident was ongoing.
“It is a case of child abuse/child labour, assault and torture of a 10-year-old boy. It was reported at the Bode Thomas Division and transferred to the gender unit of the SCIID, Panti. The female suspect is still in custody. She was arrested yesterday (Wednesday). The case is under investigation,” Adejobi stated.
