A 17-year-old student named Samuel Onyeme was brutalised and locked in a dog cage after he visited his female classmate, Anastasia Celestine, at her home.
AFRIPOST gathered that Samuel arrived at Anastasia’s residence around 6:00 PM on Sunday for a visit.
His mother, Mrs Onyeme, explained to journalists that her son, a senior secondary student at Redeemers International High School in Asaba, Delta State, had gone to see Anastasia at her invitation.
While the two were talking outside her house, Samuel was reportedly attacked by Anastasia’s father, Mr. Celestine, and his two sons.
They allegedly beat him, dragged him into their compound, inflicted severe injuries using wooden planks, and locked him in a dog cage.
During the incident, Samuel’s mobile phone was confiscated, and his mother was summoned to the scene under false pretences.
Mrs Onyeme reported that upon her arrival, she was prevented from seeing her son for two hours.
Her daughter, Jessica, who tried to intervene, was also reportedly assaulted by members of the Celestine family.
Mrs Onyeme shared that her eldest son, Ben, reached out to a family friend, who then contacted a human rights group.
This organization alerted the Delta State Police Command, resulting in police officers being dispatched to rescue Samuel around 10:00 PM that night.
Victor Ojei, a human rights advocate who reported the case to the police, condemned the treatment of Samuel as inhumane.
In a formal petition to the Delta State Police Commissioner, Ojei demanded an investigation and prosecution of Mr. Celestine and his sons for alleged crimes including kidnapping, unlawful detention, assault, and attempted murder.
Copies of the petition were also sent to the Attorney General and the National Human Rights Commission in Asaba, emphasizing the need for justice.
The petition states, “The confinement of Master Onyeme Samuel in a dog cage from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM and the assault using wooden planks, which caused injuries and trauma, violate Nigerian Criminal Law and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act.”
The petition also refers to threats to set Samuel on fire, arguing these acts constitute attempted murder under Nigerian law.
Samuel is currently receiving treatment for both physical injuries and psychological trauma at Asaba Specialist Hospital.
Meanwhile, Delta State Police spokesperson SP Bright Edafe indicated that no official report of the incident had yet reached his office.