A 13-year-old boy in Aba, Abia State, is now under police protection after he was allegedly tied with a rope, brutally flogged, stripped naked and left exposed under the scorching sun by his father.

The disturbing incident came to public attention after a video showing the badly injured boy circulated widely on social media, prompting the Abia State Police Command to intervene.

Following the viral video and the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, operatives of the Abayi Divisional Police Headquarters arrested the boy’s father, identified as Uzoma Uwaeme, a resident of Nwokocha Street, off Udeabara Road, Aba.

Police said the circumstances surrounding the abuse were being investigated, including reports that the boy’s mother had allegedly left him in his father’s care after he remarried.

The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for investigation, while Uwaeme remains in police custody.

The victim, according to the command, has received medical attention and is in a stable condition.

Condemning the incident, Afolabi described the alleged abuse as “inhumane” and “barbaric”, stressing that it amounted to a gross violation of the rights and dignity of the child.

He assured residents that the command would pursue the case to its logical conclusion and ensure that the suspect was prosecuted in accordance with the law.

The development came on the same day the command inaugurated the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) Safe Schools Initiative, aimed at strengthening the protection of children and educational institutions across Abia State.

The initiative, inaugurated by Afolabi on September 9, is designed to deepen collaboration between the police, communities, schools and other stakeholders to promote safer learning environments.

Led by the PCRC Chairman, Kpakpando Igboaulam, the initiative will mobilise stakeholders, promote safety awareness, support school-based security, coordinate student mentorship and civic education, train safety volunteers and encourage the deployment of modern security measures, including surveillance systems where necessary.

Speaking during the inauguration, Afolabi described the PCRC initiative as a timely intervention, noting that community support and cooperation remained essential to effective policing.

The Commissioner urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report cases of child abuse, domestic violence and other forms of criminality to the nearest police station or through the command’s dedicated telephone lines.