A father identified as, Sikiru Mustapha, has been arrested by the police for allegedly torturing his four-year-old son, and abandoning him at a bus station thereafter in the Iwaya area of Yaba, Lagos State.
The little boy simply identified as Lekan, was said to have sustained several bloody injuries resulting from the brutality.
The victim was reportedly picked up by a neighbour who subsequently handed him over to a non-governmental organisation in the area, who proceeded with him to the Sabo Police Division to file a report.
A resident of the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Punch that Lekan’s mother had been sent away by Sikiru, and he had married a new wife.
She said, “Lekan has a long history of torture from his father. He is poorly taken care of, beaten and left to wander in the area. As young as he is, the father beats him without mercy. On Tuesday, he was beaten up as usual. But this time, he was abandoned at a bus station.
“One of the residents of this area found him and took him to an NGO. He was then taken to the Sabo Police Division, and the police arrested the father.
“Sikiru has a new wife who is a nursing mother. She should have cautioned her husband against maltreating the boy, but she did not.”
It was gathered that the little boy was taken to a hospital in the Surulere axis of the state where he is said to be recovering.
Meanwhile, it was also learnt on Wednesday, June 10, 2015 that some officials from the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender and the Domestic Sexual Violence Response Team, had visited the victim at the hospital and are currently handling the matter.
Confirming the incident, the state police image maker, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said, “We arrested the suspect for maltreating his son.
“He has been taken to court in company with some personnel from the Lagos State Ministry of Justice.”
