A toddler identified as Master Zino, a 2-year-old boy abandoned by his mother is said to be going through hell in the hands of the father and stepmother who allegedly maltreats him on daily basis by denying him food and shelter.
It was learnt that his father and stepmother lives at No. 113 Okumagba Avenue, Ojabugbe Junction, Off Deco Road, Warri, Delta State.
The Director-General (DG), Young Nigerian Rights Organization, Comrade Victor Ojei, hinted that the under-age child is allegedly been molested by the father and stepmother.
“This is Zino. A 2 year old child whom the biological mother dropped with his biological father and step mother at No 113 Okumagba Avenue, Ojabugbe junction off Deco Road, Warri, Delta State”.
Comrade Ojei, who doubles as the State Coordinator, Delta North Conference for Actualization of Human Rights, said: “Since then the father and step mother has been giving this child all sorts of maltreatment and starvation”.
While calling on the State government, Civil Societies and Rights activists to come to the aid of Master Zino, Ojei pleaded: “Please I call on the Delta state government and all human right activists to come to the aid of this child as the father and step mother has refused neighbours from feeding the boy even when they have refused to give him food.
“They lock him up in a dark room and beat him up when he receives help from neighbours. Neighbours now are afraid to help so they don’t end up killing him.
“Please come to the aid of this child. Please help repost till he gets a helper”, he pleaded.
Also speaking, an impeccable source who has details of the alleged maltreatment of Master Zino, said: “the man impregnated someone outside, when the child got to a year, the girl’s mother came to the man that he should assist but the man denied it severally that the child is not his own.
“Then, when time went on, the woman that is the stepmother said that they should bring the child to her that she can take care of the child. That is how they got the child and ever since then it is from one maltreatment to another. They have not been feeding the child well”.
Our dependable source gave the names of the father and stepmother to Master Zino, as Mr. Wisdom and Mrs. Rita, adding that, “this morning when I came to the compound, I saw the stepmother taking the child in a Keke. Maybe she have gotten wind that people are coming”.
It was learnt that the police and other activists who have shown concern over the ugly trend have vowed to stormed the residence of Zino’s father and stepmother for investigation.
At press time, calls put across to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya for confirmation were not answered.
