11-year-old boy, chained for two years in Kebbi, reunites with parents

After 15 months of rehabilitation, Kebbi State Government, yesterday, reunited an 11-year- old boy, Jibril Aliyu, who was chained along with livestock and left to starve for two years, with his parents in Badariya area of Birnin Kebbi.
   
Chief Medical Director and Permanent Secretary in charge of Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Dr. Aminu Haliru Bunza, said over 20 medical specialists attended to the boy, while living in the hospital.
 
According to him, the boy is now well rehabilitated and the state government has taken good care of him. Dr. Bunza assured that the state would sustain the relationship and assistance to the boy, saying that there were plans to continue to take care of his health and well-being.

He said: “We are, today, handing over the child, known as Jibril to his parents, after staying with us from August 10, 2020 to date. When he was brought in, about 15 months to Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, the child was in a very pathetic situation.

“ During the course of his stay at the hospital, we were able to rehabilitate him, take good care of him, physically, nutritiously and mentally.
 
“While in the hospital, the boy was seen by over 20 different medical specialists of different medical fields, those we have here,  some came from University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and other facilities outside the country to ensure that he is in  good health condition.”
 
“A team of medical specialists will be visiting him in their new home and see him and how he is doing.
 
“A part from continued medical support, the boy is also insured by the Kebbi State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KECHEMA), he will from today be taken care of until he reaches maturity.”

Elated father of  the boy, Mallam Aliyu Umar, thanked the state governor for supporting his son and bringing him back to normal life.
 
“We can only say, may Allah bless him and his family abundantly,” he prayed. Recall that on August 9, 2020, the state government pledged to treat and rehabilitate the boy, after he was chained by his father and foster mothers.

It was discovered that he lived a barbaric life and was forced to eat animal fodder, without water, while he often ate his own faeces as the only means of survival.