An 8-year-old boy was scarred with hot iron by his aunt because he ate the50 Naira groundnut she left in the house.The incident happened at Anantigha, Calabar South, on Sunday, August 16,
when the aunt returned from Sunday service to discover that the groundnut wasgone. She questioned the boy aboutit, then plugged in an electric iron and used it to burn his back and buttocks.When she was done, she refused to give him food.Old scars on the boy’s burnt fingers also revealed that it isn’t the firsttime she has abused him since he started living with her about three years ago. Speaking with Vanguard on Monday, August17, the Principal Counsel, Basic Rights Initiative, James Ibor Esq., said theyreceived a call from Girl Power Initiative, GPI, about a lady who had beenassaulting her nephew with hot iron, burning stove and other hot objects.
According to Ibor, she plugged an electric iron and burnt the boysback and buttocks because he ate the N50 left-over groundnut and that wasnot the first time that such was happening.He said: “From what the boy has told us, which is also very visible, hehas been tortured and traumatised, and the boy is in serious pains. From herewe are taking him to a medical facility where he can get adequate care.
“We have written to the Police and the state Ministry of Humanitiesand Social Welfare to enable us take good care of him in our own shelter home,because we cannot allow the child to go back to the aunty again. We have also invited the father,because the mother is late. Further actions can be taken as he and two of hissiblings live with the said aunty. Itis unfortunate that this kind of dastardly act and injury can be inflicted on achild. Even if he ate the groundnut, there is no justification for this kind of
wickedness.”