Kaduna State Ministry of Human Services and Social Development has rescued a seven-years-old boy, Abubakar Sani, from his abusive father in Lere Local Government Area.
The boy’s two legs, our correspondent reports, were tied up by his father who poured hot water on them for allegedly stealing biscuits.
Commissioner in the ministry, Hajiya Rabi Salisu, told reporters when she visited the victim, who is recuperating at the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital that after medical examination, the only option to save the boy’s life was to amputate his legs.
According to her, “The boy’s report came to the ministry about nine days ago and by then, his legs had already rotted and had maggots coming out. So, the advice from the doctors was amputation to save his life.
“It is so disheartening knowing the pain and trauma the child must have passed through and as if that was not enough, the father with the help of his wife, the boy’s stepmother, locked him up in a room for over 20 days in that condition without proper food.”
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She added that the police had apprehended the father, Sani Tanimi Maishago, and his wife.
She said they would be charged to court after investigation.
She reiterated that the state government’s Child Protection Law is aimed at defending the rights of children because the social well-being of the child is the state’s paramount goal.
She emphasised that the state has zero tolerance for child molestation, domestic violence, rape and abuse of all sought on women and children is not taken lightly in the state adding: “We will make sure that justice is served to serve as a deterrent to others. I also want to warn parents that they do not have the right to cause such harm to their children as the government also has rights over that child.”
Chief Medical Director, Barau Dikko Teaching hospital, Kaduna State University, Dr. Abdulkadir Musa, said with the amputation, the boy would be crippled for life.
He said in future, perhaps the only thing that could be done to ease his survival is by equipping him with artificial limbs.
He counselled parents to know their limits when punishing their children and advised them to exercise caution and perseverance to avoid irreversible consequences.
