By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

The Kebbi State Government, Monday, pledged to treat and rehabilitate the teenage boy, Jibril Aliyu, chained for two years by his foster mothers and father, in the Badariya area of Birnin Kebbi.

Special Adviser to Gov. Atiku Bagudu on Women and Social Development, Hajiya Zara’u Wali, disclosed this shortly after visiting the boy (victim), at Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi.

She also expressed rude shock about the bizarre story of the boy who was chained along with livestock and left to starve for the two years in his obnoxious ordeal.

The boy was also forced to eat the animal fodder, with no water, while he often ate his own faeces as the only means of survival.

Hajiya Zara’u Wali expressed disgust, saying: “Really what happened since yesterday was a touching situation that has deeply touched His Excellency, Senator Atiku Bagudu, so much.

“We just heard about the boy who had been chained by his father and foster mothers, living a barbaric life.

“His Excellency, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, will never allow such an angry scenario to reoccur again in Kebbi State, despite all the encouragement that the state government has been giving our people in a state like this.”

Zara’u admonished the people of the state to always promptly report such unfortunate occurrences, either to the Ministry or through any of the local governments across the state.

The Governor’s Aide further pledged that, the state government would assist anybody in such unpalatable situation.

“The State Government is really touched and we will go to any length to ensure the logical prosecution of the suspects,” she said.

She appealed to the Kebbi State House of Assembly to speedily pass the law for the protection of the child so that culprits would be dealt with within the ambit of the law to serve as deterrent to others.

The Special Adviser disclosed that, the boy has been admitted at the Sir Yahayya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi, where his health status was being ascertained.

“Evaluation will be done by the Doctors and any kind of problems diagnosed will be fully taken care of by the State government,” she vowed.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Birnin Kebbi Local Government, Alhaji Aminu Ahmad S/Fada, who expressed shock, pledged to complement efforts by the State Government to treat and rehabilitate the distressed boy, as well as see to the eventual prosecution of the offenders.

He called on members of the community, especially community leaders, to be vigilant and report any case of human abuse to the relevant authorities.

News Express reports that wife of the Governor, DrZainab Shinkafi Bagudu, NGOs and civil society organizations in the state have advocated for the enactment of a law for the protection of the child in the state.

Subsequently, the Kebbi State Government had on June 22, 2020, submitted the Gender-Based Violence and Child Molestation Act to the State Legislature for passage into Law.

The Special Adviser to the governor on Women and Social Development, Hajiya Zara’u Wali, was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Hajiya Aishatu Maikurata, Alhaji Aminu Ahmad S/Fada, the Chairman of Birnin Kebbi Local Government, representatives of National Human Rights Commission in the state, NGOs and some journalists, when she visited the boy at the hospital.