…Pleads With Nigerians To Support Child’s Medical Fee
Esther Child Rights Foundation, a non-profit organization, has urged the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Jimoh Moshood to ensure that a 16-year-old boy identified as Monday Obi gets justice after being severely tortured by some men for a crime he did not commit.
Although the torturers later apologized to Monday and his mom after discovering that he was innocent, by then the harm had been done.
He was tortured until he became unconscious and had to spend days in the hospitals, forcing his widowed mother to run from pillar to post, borrowing money to ensure he survived.
This happened despite the Lagos State government and the Nigeria Police Force repeatedly warning Nigerians never to take laws into their own hands.
According to the Executive Director of Esther Child Rights Foundation, Ms Esther Ekwem, Monday’s torturer was earlier arrested and just when she thought they would be charged to court for justice to be served, they were released.
The victim’s mom, recalling how the incident happened, said that her husband died after repeated efforts to save, which drained them financially.
Her words: “ My husband’s illness took 12 pints of blood, which made me empty our accounts. When he died, I had to raise N270,000 to take his corpse to our village for burial.
“During that illness period, Monday dropped out of school. When we returned from burial, testing became a problem. I was selling petty things at Iyano-Ipaja. Monday then said to me, that instead of him staying at him, he would be heading out to Ilepo to carry things for people.
“He planned to gather some money, so that I could supplement, so that he could go back to school. It was at that Ilepo, that those men went to carry him. I don’t even know their names.
“What happened is that one of Monday’s classmates has an aunt, who goes around collecting daily contributions from people, which those people would collect from her after month end.
“On a particular day, she collects a million and that Monday’s classmate takes the money and nobody knows what he did with it. While they were beating, and asking what he did with the money, he mentioned that he gave it to Monday and other people.
“The Aunt’s husband and other men went to Ilepo and carried Monday and one elderly man. Monday repeatedly told them that he did not know anything about the crime, and they did not listen to him. They took him to a house, tied and hanged him upside down.
“After the woman found out the truth, they released Monday, I tried to treat him at home, but his condition was getting bad. I had to go to Ilepo Police Station to report, where I was given paper to go to General Hospital. We want justice!”
Narrating how he narrowly escaped death, Monday said: “ I was accused of collecting N2million Ajo, which I knew nothing about. I was beaten and tortured without proper investigation.
“I was tied with a rope and hanged upside down, with my head down and my legs up. After beating me mercilessly for no reason, they noticed that I was on the verge of death and I still refused to admit to collecting N2 million Ajo, they reluctantly allowed me to go.
“Unfortunately, I was already in a terrible condition. I have been in hospital for days. Those people who took me also took one elderly man to Ilepo. He was the one who got a human rights activist from Esther Child Rights Foundation in Lagos State involved in the matter. They are helping me seek justice and I will appreciate it if my mom is supported in every way, including with my medical bills.”
Ekwem demanded justice for the injury inflicted on the boy, stressing that torture was wrong under the law and that people taking the law into their hands was also wrong.
She maintained that if those who tortured Monday were allowed to go SScot-free they would continue to be lawless.
Ekwem explained: “We, Esther Child Rights Foundation, are reaching out to seek justice and medical support for Monday Obi, a 16-year-old boy from Anambra State, who recently suffered a brutal assault based on false accusations.
“Without proper investigation, Monday was mercilessly beaten, tied up with a rope, and hung upside down, with his head down and legs up. The inhumane torture continued until he was barely conscious.
“Despite the extreme pain, he never confessed—because he was innocent. When his attackers saw that he was close to losing his life, they let him go. Unfortunately, by then, he was already in a terrible condition.
“Monday was hospitalized for the past two weeks, but due to financial difficulties, he is only receiving minimal treatment that his widowed mother can afford. The perpetrators of this act have been released by Ilepo Policemen for reasons yet unknown instead of being charged to court.”
Ekwem further explained that her organization got involved in the matter after a Good Samaritan drew its attention to the plight of the Monday and also pleaded with the organization to help the boy with money for medical fees.
She added: “ We are now demanding justice for Monday and others who suffered this inhumane treatment. No child should have to go through such brutality without accountability for those responsible.
“We are also reaching out for financial support to cover his medical expenses. His mother, now a widow, is struggling to afford the necessary treatment for his recovery. We urge Nigerians to intervene and ensure that justice is served for Monday and all victims of this abuse. We also urged Nigerians to intervene in the form of financial assistance provided for his medical care.”
For further information about Monday Obi and Child Rights Foundation, Call 07066457009
