By Opeyemi Adelakun
The Abia State Police Command has arrested a man identified as Uzoma Uwaeme over the alleged brutal abuse of his 13-year-old son in Aba.
Uwaeme was arrested by operatives of the Abayi Divisional Police Headquarters after a disturbing video showing the teenager tied with ropes, stripped naked and allegedly flogged circulated widely on social media.
According to the police, the boy was left exposed to the harsh weather conditions and sustained visible injuries.
The arrest followed a directive by the Abia State Commissioner of Police, CP Wilfred Olutokunbo Afolabi, after the command became aware of the video.
Police said Uwaeme, who resides on Nwokocha Street, off Udeabara Road, Aba, is the biological father of the victim. The command added that the boy’s mother had reportedly left the marriage and that the suspect had remarried.
Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chinaka, said the teenager had been rescued and taken for medical treatment.
“The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation, as the suspect is in Police custody,” Chinaka stated.
She added that the victim was in stable condition and had been placed under police protective custody.
Reacting to the incident, Afolabi condemned the alleged treatment of the child, describing it as “inhumane, barbaric and a gross violation of the rights of the child.”
The commissioner reaffirmed the command’s zero-tolerance policy towards child abuse and domestic violence, assuring that the suspect would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The police also urged members of the public to promptly report suspected cases of child abuse, domestic violence and other criminal acts to the nearest police station or through the command’s designated communication channels.
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