By Valentine Amanze
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ogun State Command, at the weekend rescued a nine-year-old boy chained in a church at Ajibawo village along Atan-Ota in Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria.
The state NSCDC Public Relations Officer, CSC Kareem Olanrewaju, stated that the boy, Korede Taiwo, was accused by his stepmother, Kehinde, of stealing, especially soup, at home.
He said that incidentally both parents are pastors at Celestial Church of Christ (Key of Joy Parish), where the boy had been in chain for the past two weeks.
Olanrewaju said that the boy was on that condition till a good Samaritan informed NSCDC officials on surveillance patrol of critical infrastructure in the area, who immediately rescued the boy after resistance by the stepmother and some church members.
He said at the point of rescue, the boy, whose hands and legs were chained together was not able to talk because he appeared exhausted.
According to him, after the rescue, the boy was taken to the General Hospital, Ota, Ogun State, where he is said to be responding to treatment.
Meanwhile, the Corps has since liaised with the police at Atan, whom he said promised to continue with the investigation, stressing that the stepmother is also in the police net, while the husband (Taiwo) escaped.