By Patience Ogbo
Members of the Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network (ACVPN), led by its Coordinator, Mr. Ebenezer Omejalile, have expressed anger and sadness when they rescued a 10-year-old boy, identified as Divine, from his abusive mother, one Peace Onyebuchi.
The incident occurred as No. 30 Kareem Street, Shibiri Ekunpa Area, of Lagos State.
According to Mr. Omejalile, the mother of the boy had subjected Divine to physical and psychological abuse, which had deformed him, stunted the boy’s growth and left him with bruises, wounds that he might not recover from.
The Advocates, who were accompanied by the policemen attached to the Gender Unit Ajangbadi Police Station, led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Musa Alim, to rescue the boy, were hailed by jubilant neighbours who said the woman had been subjecting the boy to all forms of abuses since he was four-years-old.
Speaking on the rescue, Mr. Omejalile said, “Peace is the biological mother of Divine the Survivor. The woman is a monster who bites the Survivor.
“She used to hit his head against the wall at the slightest opportunity. The Survivor is 10-years-old . The survivor is badly wounded and he has a distorted growth for a 10-years-old as he looks like a 6 year old boy.
“There are several scars all over his body, he couldn’t stand very well, his back is protruded as if he has hunch back. His left ear is completely messed up, his entire head is swollen and he limps and his front teeth have been forced out with punches by his own mother”.
Speaking further, Mr. Omejalile said Peace claimed that she had the boy in her first relationship while she was in Gambia but the man rejected her pregnancy.
“She got married and has a 3-year-old boy with her present husband who is in Gambia. During the arrest and rescue, the entire neighborhood was in a wild jubilation. Peace said she has not overcome the rejection she suffered in the hands of the Survivor’s father and she is taking it out on the boy.”
It was further gathered that Mr. Ebenezer and his team took Divine to the Igando General Hospital where he received treatment before he was taken to see a social worker at the Idera Centre. “We arrived at the government-approved shelter at 10:14p.m. from Alakara Police Juvenile Welfare Centre.
The Juvenile Welfare Centre is not accepting children for now. Divine is very happy. He is a very brilliant boy and very observant. We handed him over before heading home.
“The Perpetrator would be transferred to Gender Unit from Ajangbandi Police Station, on Monday.”