Pastor who chained, tortured 9-yr-old son on the run

Apparently realising his evil act and the public outcry that followed its discovery, the pastor of Key of Joy Celestial Church of Christ, Ajibawo area of Atan Ota in Ado Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, Francis Taiwo, has taken to his heels.

The pastor was said to have chained his son, Korede Taiwo, in a room since January 2016.

However, the Ogun State Police Command said they are already on his trail to apprehend him.

The nine-year-old son, who looked emaciated, was rescued on Friday by officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ogun State Command.

The pastor’s wife, who is Korede’s stepmother, has been arrested.

According to reports, the boy was rescued after neighbours informed the NSCDC officers about the inhuman treatment the pastor was subjecting his son to.

Confirming the development, the Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Abdulmajid Ali, had ordered the arrest of the fleeing pastor.

Adejobi said: “The police operatives, who got a tip-off from a neighbour in the community, swung into action and moved to the said church where the victimised young Korede was chained and rescued him.

“The step mother of Korede, Kehinde Taiwo, has been arrested by the police.”

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He also added that Korede, who had been treated and discharged, said his father became cruel to him because of stealing.

“The young boy will soon be handed over to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in Ogun State for necessary action.”

In a related development, the victim, Korede, has said he does not want to return to his father and stepmother.

He said: ‘‘I was not fed regularly when I was chained. My father and my step-mother only fed me twice a day. Some days, I was not given any food. I want to go back to school because I want to be a doctor in the future. I also do not want to go back to my father’s house.’’

Confirming allegations that he stole regularly, Korede said: ‘It is true that I stole a pot of soup and bowl of eba in our house. I also stole in the neighbourhood. My father’s inability to give money to my step-mother for the upkeep of the family caused it. But I promised not to go back to my old ways.’’

In an effort to absolve herself of any blame, Korede’s stepmother, simply identified as Kehinde, insisted she warned her husband several times about the way he was handling the boy.

She said, “I usually warned him concerning the way he chained Korede. I had reported him to his twin brother, Kehinde, who lives in Ota, and I also reported to a friend of his.

“When the two talked to him, he would relax a bit, but as soon as they left, he would return to his old ways”, she said.

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews

 

 

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