Samson Folarin
A two-year-old boy, Musa Murtala, is currently battling to live at the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, Kano.
The victim, who had been admitted since Friday, was allegedly tortured by his grandmother, Hafsatu, and stepmother, Zainab, at their home in Gulu town in the Rimin Gado Local Government Area of the state.
Our correspondent gathered that the two suspects allegedly broke the legs and arms of Musa, cut his tongue, removed his eye and private parts.
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Nura Idris, told PUNCH Metro on Tuesday that it would take some weeks for the victim to recover, adding that he had deep cuts in different parts of his body.
The victim’s father was said to have reported the incident to the Kano State Police Command, which immediately sent men to arrest the suspects, after which the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.
Our correspondent gathered that Musa’s mother left his father after a disagreement which culminated in a divorce.
The mother was said to have handed him over to his father, who then put Musa in the care of his grandmother and stepmother.
The duo was alleged to have tortured him for reasons yet to be ascertained.
The Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Magaji, confirmed the incident, adding that the suspects were in custody.
He said, “It happened on Friday. The boy’s father came back from work late and when he saw what had happened to the child, he reported to the police.
“He said he divorced the boy’s mother and handed him over to his mother and second wife. He said it was on Friday that he discovered what both his wife and mother had done to his son.
“We took him to the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital. His legs and arms were broken; there was a deep cut on his private parts, he was also not seeing with one eye.
“Because he is a toddler, there is no way we can ask him what happened.”
Magaji said in the course of interrogation, the two suspects denied being responsible for the injuries, adding that they also denied torturing him.
He, however, said the matter was under investigations and the police would get to the roots of the case.
It was learnt that upon the directive of the state Police Commissioner, Abbati Dikko, the case had been transferred to the SCID for further investigation.
The CMD, Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, Idris, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, said Musa was admitted in the children wing of the female orthopaedic ward.
He said the two-year-old was taken into the theatre for operation on Monday, adding that it could take weeks for him to recover from the injuries which were inflicted with a sharp object.
He said, “His tongue, one of his eyes and a part of his private parts were cut. He had fractures of the humerus (upper limbs) and femura (lower limbs). There were lacerations here and there in his body. From the nature of the injuries, those behind the crime used a very sharp object, which could be a blade or knife.
“He had surgeries yesterday (Monday). We did some repairs on him and he’s doing well now. He is a child and his bones are still growing. Fractures for a child will not take long to heal. I am sure in a couple of weeks, he should be okay.”
The wife of the police commissioner, who is also the Chairperson of the Police Officers Wives’ Association Against Child Abuse, Hajiya Dikko, had reportedly intervened in the case and promised that her group would follow the case to a logical end.
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