The Abia State Police Command has arrested a man, Uzoma Uwaeme, for allegedly stripping, tying and flogging his 13-year-old son under the scorching sun in Aba, Abia State.
The command disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, following the circulation of a video showing the teenager bound with ropes and apparently injured.
According to the police, the suspect is the boy’s biological father, while the child’s mother was said to have left the marriage.
The video, which went viral on social media, reportedly prompted the Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, to direct operatives of the Abayi Divisional Police Headquarters to identify and arrest the suspect.
Following the directive, the police said Uwaeme was apprehended at his residence on Nwokocha Street, off Udeabara Road, Aba.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Maureen Chinaka, said the boy had been rescued and taken for medical treatment.
She said the matter had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further 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,” Chinaka stated.
Afolabi condemned the alleged abuse, describing it as inhumane, barbaric and a violation of the child’s rights.
The commissioner, according to the statement, reaffirmed the command’s zero tolerance for child abuse and domestic violence, adding that the suspect would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The command urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report cases of child abuse, domestic violence and other criminal activities to the nearest police station or through its designated contact lines.