In Ebonyi state, a 13 year old boy identified as Ifeanyi Umoke was tied and thrown into a burning refuse for stealing cups of rice few days after being thrown out by his parents.
Umoke hails from Inikiri Benard village in Effium community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The chairman, for Human Rights Defenders (HURIDE), Ebonyi State chapter, Sampson Oko Nweke disclosed this to journalists in Abakaliki.
He explained that the perpetrators alleged that the victim was a notorious kleptomaniac.
It was also gathered that the mother of the boy was no more alive, while his father was still living bedridden due to chronic mental illness.
The chairman of HURIDE, the perpetrators, Paul Ifere Amah and Paul Nweke of the same village, after committing the crime, saw the critical condition of their victim, abandoned him to groan to death.
“It took the intervention of sympathisers to rush him to AMURT Hospital there in Effium. But, due to the severity of the burnt, the boy was declined treatment.
Efforts were thereafter made to bring him to AE-FETHA 2 where he is currently battling between life and death.
”So the little boy is a 13-year-old Master Ifeanyi Umoke from Inikiri Benard village in Effium community, Ohaukwu LGA of Ebonyi State.
“Few days ago, the Human Rights Defenders (HURIDE) got a call from George Etamesor of the HRCRC over this grave abuse on this poor child.
“Because he was caught trying to steal some rice in their village market, he was tied up, thrown into burning fire in a refuse dump in the market and allowed to roast like a goat.
“The perpetrators, Paul Ifere Amah and Paul Nweke of the same village, after committing this evil, saw the critical condition of their victim, yet they abandoned him to groan to death.
“It took the intervention of sympathisers to rush him to AMURT Hospital there in Effium. But, due to the severity of the damages, the boy was declined treatment.
“But at present he is on admission at Alex-Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki.”
BTLBlogger: Augustine Emmanuel
