Lagos State Police Command, has arrested a
27-year-old man, Lekan Adelaja, for allegedly
cutting off the penis of his one-year-old
nephew, Basheeru Akintoye.
The police also arrested one Obinwanne
Onukwo who was accused of sending Adelaja
to carry out the dastardly act.
PUNCH Metro had reported last week that
Basheeru's penis was cut off when his 20-
year-old mother, Abidemi, went to a nearby
house to have sex with one Fatai who was a
friend to her husband.
It was reported that the police subsequently
arrested Fatai for the alleged crime, while
Abidemi was arrested for her negligence.
The baby was said to have been rushed to the
Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba.
Our correspondent, however, learnt that the
police arrested the prime suspect and also
recovered the penis.
The penis, it was learnt, had already decayed.
A source said, "We knew that Fatai and
Abidemi were not the ones that cut off the
penis so we continued to investigate the
matter. We clearly established that the crime
was an insider job and we began questioning
all those that were in the compound at the
time.
"After interrogation, Adelaja confessed that he
was the one that cut off the penis. He said
one Obinwanne Onukwo promised to pay him
N30, 000 for the penis. We believe they
wanted to use the penis for ritual purpose."
Onukwo, however, denied sending Adelaja to
cut bring him a penis.
He said if he was the one that sent Adelaja to
cut off the baby's penis, why did he (Adelaja)
hold onto it for over a week after cutting it
off?
Our correspondent learnt that Fatai and
Abidemi had been released by the police.
The baby's father, Ibrahim, told PUNCH Metro
that he had spent all he had on medical bills
in a bid to save his son's life.
He said Basheeru would undergo a surgery on
Friday.
"From the day the incident occurred, I have
been spending money. I am just a security
guard and I don't earn much, but I am
determined to ensure that my son does not
die," he said.
Asked how he felt when he discovered that it
was his cousin that cut off Basheeru's penis,
he said, "He (Adelaja) is my cousin. We don't
live in the same house, but we live in the
same compound. He is not completely stable
mentally, but he is not the violent type.
"My son has suffered too much in the hands
of people who should protect him."
When our correspondent visited the children's
ward on Wednesday, Basheeru was seen
playing with his parents.
PUNCH Metro observed that a pipe had been
attached to the baby's private part to enable
him to urinate.
A doctor, who spoke to our correspondent on
the condition of anonymity, said there was no
guarantee that the baby would regain full use
of his penis.
She said, "Basheeru's case is that of penile
amputation. If the penis had been found on
time, we could have reattached it but it is too
late now as it has decayed. We will, however,
do our best to ensure that he regains the use
of the penis.
"He is still young and we are hoping that after
a reconstructive surgery, the penis would
work again and he would be able to
reproduce."
Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide,
said the suspect would be charged to court
this week.
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