been maltreating the victim for the past 3 years before she was arrested by NAPTIP.A human rights

activist, Ukan Kurugh, who spoke with Punch correspondent, stated there were torture marks on various parts of the victim’s body.He stated, “She rejected the young boy education. While her four biological children attended school, this child was always locked up inside your home.

“She caused injuries on him; he looks malnourished as an outcome of not being fed most times. He has scars on his buttocks and head.

“She utilized a razor blade to scrape the young boy’s head and put hot nylon on him so that he would feel the pain more. She would sometime heat her cooking area knife and used it to burn the skin of the kid.

“The last time neighbours attempted to intervene, she declined to stop.She claimed the kid stole soup from her pot and she would penalize him as much as she wanted.The child never ever left your house, whenever she and

her children headed out, they locked him up in your home; he would stay at the window and begged passersby for water and food.” The NAPTIP Commandant for Benue State

, Gloria Bai, who confirmed the occurrence, said the suspect had been granted administrative bail.The case is still under investigation. ToriNG