NHRC probes teacher’s turturing of his 10-year-old son

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA — The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, yesterday, said it has commenced investigation into the reported assault and torture of a 10-year-old boy, Stephen Ogbeun, by his father.

Reacting to the action of Mr. Christopher Ogbeun, who allegedly tortured his son with a hot pressing iron at Lokoja in Kogi State, Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, condemned the act as “inhuman, barbaric and wicked.”

Ogbeun, who is the Principal of Government Day Secondary School in Oshokoshoko community in Lokoja Local Government Area in Kogi State, was alleged to have assaulted his son after accusing him of destroying documents that gave his school approval to conduct external exams.

Angwe said the commission had already waded into the matter, describing the act as “unacceptable in the 21st Century Nigeria.

“The action of the perpetrators of all forms of violence contradicts Section 34 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 which prohibits torture, inhuman and degrading treatment.”

He maintained that the commission would hold a stakeholders’ meeting to address issues of domestic violence and enjoined various stakeholders, including community leaders, civil society organisations, the academia and faith based organisations, to collaborate with the commission in this regard.