NSCDC Arraigns Father Over Child Abuse In Osogbo

The Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arraigned a thirty-five-year-old man before a Family Court, sitting in Osogbo, the state capital, over alleged child abuse.

The State’s Commandant, CC Emmanuel Ocheja made this known Wednesday in a statement e-signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Corps II (ASC II) Atanda Olabisi at the State Headquarters, Ilesha Road, Oke Ayepe, Osogbo.

The defendant, identified as Ola Emmanuel, a divorcée, was dragged to court for abusing his 6 years old son on March 17, at his residence located at No. 2 Temitope Street, Oke-Oniti, Osogbo, which is under the jurisdiction of Osogbo Central “A” Area Command of the State’s NSCDC Command.

The six-year-old victim the statement revealed could not attend school owing to the inability of his father to pay his school fees.

Emmanuel, the statement quoted as saying that he prepared beans, served the little boy his own portion, and kept the remaining for himself in order to fall back on it when he returned from work, but on getting home, he discovered that his son had finished the leftover.

The act infuriated the man which made him beat the boy mercilessly with a cable, hence the boy suffered many injuries on his body.

The statement pointed out that a concerned – neighbor raised an alarm and contacted the Area Commander, Assistant Commandant of Corps (ACC) Oyetunji Olusegun to report the incident.

The case was, subsequently transferred to the State Headquarters for further investigations and prosecution.

According to some members of the community in Osogbo, the capital city, the victim had been subjected to regular torture and abuse by his father, pointing out the scars and wounds sustained by the boy as evidence of torture by the father.

During an interview conducted with the NSCDC Spokesperson, the defendant said his son is greedy,  picking up things that do not belong to him, hence his anger towards him to discourage his bad behavior.

After an investigation by the Anti Human Trafficking, Irregular Migration, and Gender-Based Unit of the NSCDC, Osun State Command, the man was arraigned at a Family Court and was. guilty as charged.

He was therefore sentenced to 24 hours of community service while the boy was ordered to remain in the custody of the Osun State government at the Children’s Home.

The Head, Anti-Human Trafficking, Irregular Migration, and Gender-Based Unit, of the NSCDC, Osun State Command, Chief Superintendent of Corps (CSC) Onifade Clement decried the prevalence of child abuse in the country.

He advised parents and guardians to desist from abusing any child under their care.

While commenting on the judgment, Commandant Ocheja stressed that any parent, guardian or whosoever found guilty of child abuse would face the consequences, urging the public not to relent in giving adequate information to the Corps for a prompt response.