The Abia State Police Command has arrested a man, identified as Uzoma Uwaeme, for allegedly stripping, tying up and flogging his 13-year-old son in Aba, Abia State.
The arrest followed the circulation of a video on social media showing the teenager bound with ropes, with visible injuries and reportedly left exposed to the harsh weather.
According to the Police, the suspect is the boy’s biological father, while the child’s mother was said to have left the marriage.
Following the viral video, the Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, directed officers from the Abayi Divisional Police Headquarters to locate and arrest the suspect at his residence on Nwokocha Street, off Udeabara Road, Aba.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Maureen Chinaka, confirmed the arrest in a statement, adding that the teenager had been rescued and taken for medical treatment.
“The victim has received medical attention, is in stable condition, and is currently under the protective custody of the Police,” Chinaka said.
She added that the matter had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation, while the suspect remained in police custody.
The Commissioner of Police condemned the alleged abuse, describing it as “inhumane, barbaric, and a gross violation of the rights of the child.”
Afolabi also reaffirmed the command’s “zero tolerance for all forms of child abuse and domestic violence,” assuring that the suspect would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The Police urged members of the public to report suspected cases of child abuse, domestic violence and other criminal acts to the nearest police station or through the command’s designated emergency lines.
