17-Year-Old Delta Student Allegedly Assaulted And Locked Inside Dog Cage By His Female Classmate’s Father And Brothers For Visiting Her

A 17-year-old boy, Samuel Onyeme, was reportedly assaulted and confined in a dog cage by the father and two brothers of his female classmate, Anastasia Celestine.

The incident occurred on Sunday, November 17, 2024, around 6:00 PM when Onyeme visited Anastasia at her residence.

The victim’s mother, Mrs. Onyeme, described the ordeal at Mr. Celestine’s house as a deeply distressing experience.

“My son, Samuel, a 17-year-old Senior Secondary student of Redeemers International High School, Asaba, Delta State, on Sunday, visited his classmate, Anastasia Celestine, at her residence after she invited him,” she narrated.

“My son said they were having a discussion outside the house of Mr Celestine when he was brutally assaulted by her father and his two sons.

“They attacked him on the street, dragged him into their compound, and inflicted severe physical injuries on him. You see his head, he said they used wooden planks and locked him inside a dog cage.

“During the assault, they confiscated his mobile phone and called me (mother) deceiving me into coming to the scene. Upon my arrival, I was deprived of seeing him for two hours.”

She explained that her daughter, Jessica, who was outside trying to seek help, was also assaulted by members of the Celestine family when she attempted to re-enter the compound.

“The situation escalated when Ben, the other of my sons, who is the elder brother to Samuel, contacted a family friend, who then reached out to a human rights organisation before they mobilised police officers to rescue Samuel from the dog cage around 10:00 pm that night.”

Speaking further, human rights activist Mr. Victor Ojei, who reported the incident to the Delta State Police Command on Tuesday, said he had mobilized the police before Samuel was rescued from the dog cage. He condemned the act as barbaric and inhumane.

Ojei also filed a petition addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command, urging immediate investigation and prosecution of Mr. Celestine and his sons for kidnapping, unlawful detention, assault, and attempted murder, in accordance with Nigerian Criminal Law and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.

The petition, which was also sent to the Attorney General, Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Delta State, and the State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission in Asaba, called for justice in the case.

“One Onyeme Ben contacted a family friend, who then reached out to our organisation. Following our report to the Delta State Police, officers were mobilised, and Master Onyeme Samuel was rescued from the dog cage around 10:00 pm that night.

“Based on the above facts, Mr Celestine and his sons have committed criminal offences which include unlawful detention of Mrs. Onyeme Onome for two hours against her will, and the forcible confinement of Master Onyeme Samuel in a dog cage from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm.which contravenes Section 364 of the Criminal Code Act

“The brutal assault on Master Onyeme Samuel using wooden planks, resulting in multiple injuries and psychological trauma, is a violation of Section 355 of the Criminal Code Act.”

“Attempted murder; threats to pour fuel and set Master Onyeme Samuel ablaze amount to attempted murder under Section 320 of the Criminal Code Act.”

It was learned that the victim, Samuel, is currently receiving treatment at the Asaba Specialist Hospital for physical injuries and psychological trauma resulting from the incident.