A 17-year-old boy, Samuel Onyeme, was reportedly assaulted and confined in a dog cage by his female classmate’s father, Mr. Celestine, and her two brothers in Asaba, Delta State.
The incident occurred on Sunday, November 17, 2024, when Samuel visited his classmate, Anastasia Celestine, at her home around 6 p.m. Samuel’s mother, Mrs. Onyeme, recounted the ordeal to Punch on Monday, describing it as a traumatic experience.
“My son, Samuel, a Senior Secondary student of Redeemers International High School, visited his classmate after she invited him. While they were talking outside her house, her father and brothers attacked him,” she explained.
According to Mrs. Onyeme, Samuel was assaulted on the street, dragged into the compound, and beaten with wooden planks before being locked in a dog cage. His mobile phone was confiscated, and the family called her under false pretenses to come to the scene. Upon her arrival, she was denied access to her son for two hours.
The situation escalated when Samuel’s elder brother, Ben, contacted a family friend who involved a human rights organization. Police officers were eventually mobilized, and Samuel was rescued around 10 p.m.
Human rights activist Victor Ojei, who reported the case to the Delta State Police Command, condemned the incident as barbaric and inhumane. In a petition to the Commissioner of Police, Ojei called for the immediate investigation and prosecution of Mr. Celestine and his sons for kidnapping, unlawful detention, assault, and attempted murder under Nigerian law.
The petition, also addressed to the Attorney General and the National Human Rights Commission, highlighted violations, including:
- Unlawful detention: Confining Samuel in a dog cage from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Assault: Inflicting multiple injuries with wooden planks.
- Attempted murder: Threatening to pour fuel on Samuel and set him ablaze.
Samuel is currently receiving treatment at Asaba Specialist Hospital for physical injuries and psychological trauma sustained during the incident.
