A father in Imo State, Confidence Amatobi, has been accused of beating his two-month-old son, Miracle, to the point of his right hand been amputated.
The National Human Right Commission and Nigeria Association of Women Journalists made this known.
The Imo State chapter of the two bodies have therefore called on the Nigeria Police Force to immediately arrest and prosecute Amatobi for the alleged offence.
Trouble was said to have started when Amatobi, 31, complained that Miracle would not allow him to sleep.
He then took a plastic anger with which he beat him to stupor, breaking his right hand in the process.
At the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State, Doctors could not save the hand.
This led to its amputation.
Speaking with newsmen on the development, the Chairperson of the Imo State chapter of NAWOJ, Dr. Dorothy Nnaji, told newsmen that Amatobi, a native of Amurie in Isu Local Government Area of the state, should be prosecuted for the offence.
Nnaji, who spoke at the premises of the FMC in Owerri, said it was shocking a father could be that cruel to his own son.
She said: “The perpetrator, Mr. Confidence Amatobi, who hails from Amurie in Isu LGA, used a plastic hanger on the baby, simply because he was crying that the 20-year-old mother left to ease herself.
“He used wood and elastic bands to tie the baby’s hand when he saw that hand was broken and swollen.
He locked the mother and baby to prevent her from talking to neighbours or seeking help.
“He also took her phone from her.
“After two days, she found her way out and sought help from her neighbours.
“The guy was arrested by a vigilante, but he escaped.
“By the time help came, the baby’s hand was already decayed.
“The only option was to cut off baby Miracle’s right hand from shoulder.”