The father of an eight-month-old baby whose penis was cut off in Bayelsa, Mr Joseph Michael, has accused the traditional circumcision expert of deliberately perpetrating the act.

Michael, who spoke on Friday, said his son is in sever pains and in dire need of financial help to save his life.

The 39 years old unemployed father of three boys and three girls said that the incident had thrown him into financial distress as he cannot afford the cost of medical services at the Federal Medical Centre in the state capital, Yenagoa.

Michael, an ex-militant under the Presidential Amnesty scheme, said Mr. Ziworitin Keke, 59, on February 5 cut off half of the genitals of his infant son during circumcision. He appealed to public-spirited individuals and the Bayelsa State Government to come to his aid.

Said Michael: “The idea that the circumcision was a mistake is untrue, the man did it deliberately because he circumcised other children, why will it be my son’s own that will go wrong?

“The incident was immediately reported to the Krokrosei Police Division but they demanded money from me for the arrest, they asked me to raise at least N5,000 naira but I had no money I rather concentrated on treating and saving my son.

“The man is yet to be arrested by the police because I am yet to raise the money they asked for and he is still enjoying his freedom.

“After cutting off my boy’s penis, the man, who is married to my son’s grandmother, told my wife to leave the child with him for at least three weeks so that he could treat him very well.

“But my wife refused because the boy was bleeding and she rushed him to the health centre at Korokorosei a neigbouring community to us.”

The traumatised father explained that they were referred to the Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa for specialised medical care.

Meanwhile, the International Federation of Women Lawyers has written a petition to the Bayelsa Police Commissioner.

When contacted on the development, Police Spokesman, DSP Asinim Butswat, said the command had received reports on the incident and said that investigations had commenced.

“We are working with the family and the case but right now, they are bogged down with medical attention for the baby in hospital,” he said.

Update news