A 10-year-old boy, who allegedly stole N1,000 was buried alive on the orders of his stepmother.
The incident occurred at Silo community, Apamisede in Zango Daji, Lokoja, the Kogi State capital on the night of October 10, 2023.
The video of the boy surfaced on the community’s WhatsApp platform that night which prompted a search for his rescue.
The boy was eventually rescued by community members led by the community chairman simply identified as Mr Omega at 6.00 am on October 11, after hours of digging and exhumation.
According to a witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, community members were shocked when the video of the live burial as punishment went viral.
The witness expressed sadness that the boy was punished in such a brutal way with his hands tied to his back and his teeth removed for such a minor offence.
Meanwhile, the perpetrator of the horrific act, who identified herself as Mrs Rasaki, has been apprehended alongside the man she engaged to dig the boy’s grave and bury him.
The rescued boy has been handed over to the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
The ministry described it as barbaric and unacceptable and promised to ensure that justice is served in the case.
Citizens have taken to social media to express their outrage over the incident and called on the government to take swift action against the perpetrators of such heinous crimes by prosecuting them.
Persecondnews reports that the incident is a grim reminder of the prevalence of child abuse across the country, especially in cases involving step-parents.
Child welfare and rights advocates have also urged more efforts toward safeguarding the rights and well-being of vulnerable children.
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