The case of the 11-year-old Jibril Aliyu, who was tied to a stake in animal pen in Badariya Quarters in Birnin Kebbi, the capital of Kebbi State, took a new turn after the coordinator of the National Human Right Commission in the state, Hamza Attahiru Wala, a lawyer, got wind of the situation and reported to the police.
Jibril, who is the only child of his late mother, was returned to his father’s house after the demise of his mother two years ago. Since then, he is said that he had been subjected to all sorts of inhuman treatment. The victim’s mother was divorced 10 years ago.
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When he returned to his father’s house, Jibril was left under the care of his three stepmothers. But instead of taking care of the boy, his father and wives allegedly locked him in their animal pen. He is said to have been starved to the extent that he ate animal feeds and waste to stay alive.
Having lived with animals for the past two years, Jibril cannot talk as he could only cry whenever he was in pain.
Speaking to Daily Trust Saturday, Wala said he got knowledge of the ugly situation when his senior colleague drew his attention to a video in the social media platform, which had gone viral.
After watching the video, he decided to report the case to the police, who subsequently detailed some personnel, along with him, to search the house.
According to him, when they got to the house, they discovered that what circulated in the social media was real. He said they were told that the victim’s father had gone to a nearby Ambursa village, so the police arrested the boy’s stepmothers and rushed him to Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital for medical attention.
“When I watched some video clips and pictures a senior colleague of mine sent to me, it was very devastating, so I did not waste time in reporting the case to the police. I must also commend the divisional police officer, who did not waste time in giving me some policemen. When we got to the house, we saw in reality, what we watched in the footage.
The victim was seen eating from the animal feed, as well as their waste around him,” Wala said.
Speaking to Daily Trust Saturday, the father of the victim, Aliyu Umar, said he had lost all he had in life in the course of looking for medication for his child, whom he said was born with a mental problem.
Umar, a commercial vehicle driver, explained that at a point, his union came to his aid by donating N70,000 to him. He added that it is not true that he had tied his child with chain for the past two years.
The father of 19 children, including the victim, also debunked the allegation that he abandoned the child in the animal stall, saying he started tying him to a stake in the last two months after he reportedly destroyed people’s properties.
He said that not long ago, he had to pay for two windscreens the boy smashed, adding that one of the vehicles belonged to a military man.
Umar further said that no matter how his child overfed, he would still eat from waste around him.
He appealed to the authorities concerned to give him a second chance by allowing him go back home with his child, promising to take good care of him.
“His mother is late. The boy was born with this medical condition. I have sold all my belongings, including my car and house, to treat him. Our union had to assist me when they realised I was in financial mess. If I could make such sacrifices, it would be unfair for anybody to accuse me of abandoning my child. It is not true that I left him in an inhumane condition for two years.
I tied him in order to stop him from destroying people’s properties. Recently, he smashed two windscreens of vehicles belonging to two people. I had to cough out money to pay them,’’ he said.
Also speaking, an elder brother to the victim, Bilal Aliyu, corroborated the statement of their father, debunking the allegation that his younger brother was tied in an animal stall for two years. He argued that the boy only returned to their father’s house five months ago.
He added that his parents couldn’t have kept their child under such a dehumanising condition, as according to him, the boy has a room in the house like the rest of them.
He also said the boy was suffering from mental illness and their father had done everything possible to treat him.
“It is very unfortunate that this matter has turned out like this. He has his room and is properly fed,’’ Bilal said.
Speaking on behalf of the Kebbi State Government, the special adviser on women and social development to Governor Atiku Bagudu, Zara’u Wali, said government would pay the medical bill of the victim, with a view to rehabilitating him.
Wali made the announcement shortly after visiting the victim at Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital in Birnin Kebbi. She wondered why a boy of that age would be subjected to such inhuman treatment.
She called on the people of the state to always report such cases, either to the ministry or through any of the local government councils across the state.
She also appealed to the Kebbi State House of Assembly to speedy the passage of the law on child protection so that culprits would be promptly brought to justice.
“What happened was quite unfortunate. It deeply touched Senator Atiku Bagudu, and the state government will go to any length to ensure that the suspects are prosecuted,’’ she said.
Also speaking, the chairman of Birnin Kebbi Local Government Council, Aminu Ahmad Sarkin Fada, pledged to complement the efforts of the state government in treating and rehabilitating the boy, as well as see to the eventual prosecution of the offenders.
He called on members of the community, where the incident took place, especially leaders, to be vigilant and report any case of human abuse to relevant authorities.
Confirming the incident to journalists, the police public relations officer, Kebbi State command, DSP Nafi’u Abubakar said, “Yes, our men have arrested the father of the 11-year-old Jibril Aliyu and his three wives for chaining a boy for over two years. They were arrested in the Badariya area of Birnin Kebbi Local Government. Investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances behind the incident.’’
