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PCRC Safe Schools Club Condemns Alleged Torture of Six-Year-Old Child, Calls for Urgent Intervention
The National Coordinator of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) Safe Schools Club, Amb. Prince Samuel Olaoluwa Akintoye, has condemned the alleged abuse and maltreatment of a six-year-old boy, Ugonna, whose disturbing ordeal has sparked outrage after a video surfaced online.
Reacting to the viral footage, Akintoye described the alleged treatment of the child as deeply disturbing and a painful reminder of the vulnerability of children who depend on adults for protection, care and safety.
According to the account accompanying the video, the child was allegedly tied with twine, subjected to physical punishment and deprived of food. The account further alleged that cold water was poured over the boy after injuries were inflicted on him.
For Akintoye, the reported treatment goes beyond discipline and raises serious concerns about the protection of a child who is unable to defend himself or speak for himself.
“No child deserves to be subjected to violence, starvation, humiliation or any form of cruel treatment. A child is not an object for punishment; a child is a human being whose safety and dignity must be protected,” he said.
He appealed to the relevant authorities to urgently establish the facts surrounding the incident, rescue and protect the child if he remains at risk, and ensure that anyone found responsible is made to face the law.
Akintoye also urged members of the public not to remain silent whenever they encounter suspected child abuse, stressing that reporting abuse promptly can mean the difference between a child remaining trapped in violence and being rescued to safety.
He said the case should serve as a wake-up call to parents, guardians, schools, community leaders, law-enforcement agencies and child-protection organisations to strengthen efforts to safeguard children from abuse.
“The fact that a child may be orphaned, vulnerable or separated from his parents should never make him less deserving of protection. Every Nigerian has a responsibility to speak up when a child is being harmed,” Akintoye added.
He appealed to the authorities in Abia State to investigate the allegations surrounding the viral video and ensure that the welfare and safety of the child remain the foremost priority.
The PCRC Safe Schools Club reiterated its commitment to promoting safe environments for children and called for stronger community vigilance against physical, emotional and other forms of child abuse.
The organisation also cautioned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands, urging anyone with credible information about the child or the circumstances surrounding the video to channel such information to the appropriate law-enforcement and child-protection authorities.
