On Sunday, a 17-year-old boy, Samuel Onyeme, was reportedly beaten and locked in a dog cage for visiting his female classmate, Miss Anastasia Celestine.
According to a reporter, the incident occurred when Onyeme went to visit Celestine at her home around 6 p.m.
Onyeme’s mother, Mrs. Onyeme, shared her account on Monday, stating that the experience at Mr. Celestine’s house was a shocking one.
She explained, “My son, Samuel, a Senior Secondary student at Redeemers International High School in Asaba, Delta State, visited his classmate, Anastasia Celestine, on Sunday after she invited him.”
According to Mrs. Onyeme, her son told her that while they were having a conversation outside Mr. Celestine’s house, he was violently attacked by Celestine’s father and two sons.
“They assaulted him on the street, dragged him into their compound, and caused serious physical harm. You can see his head; he said they used wooden planks and locked him in a dog cage,” she explained.
“During the attack, they took his mobile phone and called me, tricking me into coming to the scene. When I arrived, I was denied the chance to see him for two hours.”
Mrs. Onyeme also mentioned that her daughter, Jessica, who was outside trying to get help, was attacked by members of the Celestine family when she attempted to re-enter the compound.
“The situation worsened when Ben, Samuel’s older brother, contacted a family friend, who then reached out to a human rights organization. They coordinated with the police, and officers were dispatched to rescue Samuel from the dog cage around 10:00 p.m. that night.”
Human rights activist Mr. Victor Ojei, who reported the incident to the Delta State Police Command on Tuesday, stated that he had mobilized the police before Samuel was rescued from the dog cage. He condemned the act, calling it barbaric and inhumane.
In a petition to the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command, Ojei called for the immediate investigation and prosecution of Mr. Celestine and his sons for charges of kidnapping, unlawful detention, assault, and attempted murder, in accordance with Nigerian Criminal Law and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Laws.
The petition, which was also sent to the Attorney General of the Ministry of Justice in Asaba, Delta State, and the State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission in Asaba, called for justice.
“One Onyeme Ben contacted a family friend, who then reached out to our organization. After reporting to the Delta State Police, officers were dispatched, and Master Onyeme Samuel was rescued from the dog cage around 10:00 p.m. that night.
“Given the facts, Mr. Celestine and his sons are guilty of criminal offenses, including the unlawful detention of Mrs. Onyeme Onome for two hours against her will, and the forced confinement of Master Onyeme Samuel in a dog cage from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., which violates Section 364 of the Criminal Code Act.”
The violent attack on Master Onyeme Samuel, who was beaten with wooden planks, causing multiple injuries and psychological trauma, is a violation of Section 355 of the Criminal Code Act.
“The attempted murder and threats to pour fuel on Master Onyeme Samuel and set him on fire constitute attempted murder under Section 320 of the Criminal Code Act.”
It was reported that Samuel is currently receiving medical treatment at the Asaba Specialist Hospital for the physical and psychological injuries he sustained during the attack.
When reached for comment, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Bright Edafe, stated that he had not received any report on the incident at the time of this report.
