A man identified as Mr. Celestine, along with his two sons, has reportedly assaulted and locked a 17-year-old boy, Samuel Onyeme, inside a dog cage after finding him visiting his daughter, Anastasia Celestine, at their home in Asaba, Delta State.
The incident reportedly took place on Sunday evening, around 6 pm, when Samuel, who is a classmate of Anastasia, had gone to her residence following an invitation from her. While the two were engaged in a discussion outside the house, Mr. Celestine allegedly confronted the boy alongside his two sons, leading to a series of brutal physical assaults before forcibly confining him to a dog cage within their compound.
Narrating the harrowing ordeal to newsmen, Samuel’s mother, Mrs. Onyeme, expressed her outrage and pain over the cruel treatment of her son. She revealed that during the assault, Samuel’s phone was confiscated, and he sustained several injuries inflicted by wooden planks and other weapons. She stated, “My son, Samuel, a 17-year-old Senior Secondary student of Redeemers International High School, Asaba, was brutally attacked by Anastasia’s father and his sons while he was having an innocent discussion with her outside their home.”
She added, “They attacked him in the street, dragged him into their compound, and locked him in a dog cage. His phone was taken, and I was contacted under false pretenses to come to their house. On arrival, I was prevented from seeing my son for over two hours. He was bleeding and had visible injuries on his head and body.”
Mrs. Onyeme recounted that it took the intervention of her elder son and a family friend to escalate the matter to a human rights organization. This prompted immediate action from law enforcement. “My elder son reached out to a family friend, who contacted a human rights group. They mobilized police officers to rescue Samuel around 10 pm that night,” she explained.
Confirming the incident, Victor Ojei, a human rights activist, stated that the matter has been formally reported to the Delta State Police Command for investigation. He condemned the actions of Mr. Celestine and his sons, calling for justice to be served. “This is an outrageous case of abuse and assault, and we demand a thorough investigation and prosecution of all those involved,” he said.
The human rights organization has vowed to follow the case to ensure that those responsible for the attack face the full weight of the law, while Samuel is receiving care for his injuries and trauma following the horrifying experience.
