The Imo State Government and the Nigeria Police Force have been urged to detain and charge one Mr Confidence Amatobi for allegedly abusing his 2-month-old baby, Miracle, according to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Imo State chapter of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ).
Little Miracle's arm was allegedly broken by Mr Amatobi after the man reportedly disturbed his sleep by hitting the infant with a plastic hanger.
At the Pediatrics unit of the Federal Medical Centre, FMC Owerri, the incident resulted in the shattered arm's amputation.
NAWOJ, NHRC and the aggrieved mother of baby Miracle, called for justice in Owerri the Imo State Capital.
Imo State Chairperson of NAWOJ, Dr Dorothy Nnaji who spoke to newsmen after visiting the amputated boy at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owerri, confirmed that the injury inflicted by the 31-year-old father, a native of Amurie in Isu LGA of the state, led to the amputation of the little boy’s right hand.
Mrs Nnaji who frowned at the dastardly cruel act of Mr Amatobi expressed shock that a father could assault his innocent child simply because he was crying and disturbing his sleep.
She disclosed that Mr Amatobi was reported to have repeatedly hit the baby with a plastic hanger to stop him from crying until the right hand broke.
“The perpetrator, Mr. Confidence Amatobi, who hails from Amurie in Isu L.G.A used a plastic hanger on the baby, simply because he was crying that the 20-year-old mother left to ease herself. When he saw that hand was broken and swollen,” Mrs Nnaji said, he used wood and elastic bands to tie the baby's hand.
“He locked the mother and baby to prevent her from talking to neighbours or seeking help. He also took her phone from her. After two days she found her way out and sought help from her neighbours.
The guy was arrested by a vigilante but he escaped. By the time help came, the baby’s hand was already decayed. The only option was to cut off baby Miracle’s right hand from the shoulder,”