12-Year-Old Hospitalised After Man Allegedly Forces Him To Eat Faeces in Delta
A 12-year-old boy, Marvelous Jonathan, is currently hospitalised after a man identified as Godspower Idoho allegedly forced him to eat both fresh and dried faeces as punishment for defecating in his uncompleted building in Isiokolo community of Delta State.
The incident, which occurred on April 9, 2025, reportedly involved Godspower and his friend, Abel Esowhode, who caught the boy in the act during an evening visit to the property.
A family source stated that Godspower instructed Abel to hold the boy while he went to fetch his wife and a cane.
Upon returning, the trio allegedly beat Marvelous severely, compelled him to eat his own faeces and also forced him to consume five other dried faeces found around the site.
After the abuse, the boy was reportedly given a sachet of water and returned to his mother. “Later that night, Marvelous’s stomach began to swell, and he fainted around 2 a.m. He was rushed to the hospital, where he remains under intensive care,” the source added.
Despite reporting the case to the police, the family claims officers advised them to settle the matter privately.
The suspect was initially arrested and charged before a magistrate court but was granted bail after denying the allegations.
Authorities reportedly cited a lack of evidence pending a medical report from the hospital.
The Executive Assistant to the Governor on Security, Engr. Udoka Emmanuel Chika-Dibie, confirmed the incident and pledged to pursue justice for the victim.
“I will take the matter up for the boy to get justice,” he said, emphasising the government’s zero tolerance for abuse and its commitment to protecting citizens’ rights, especially the vulnerable.
Delta-based human rights activist, Comrade Israel Joe, criticised the handling of the case.
He said, “The medical report is the key issue now. They charged him to a magistrate court, but I insisted he should have been charged under the VAP (Violence Against Persons) Law because this constitutes an unnatural offence.
“He should have been charged at a high court, where bail is not typically granted for such cases. Instead, it seems the case is being treated as a matter of the man’s word against the boy’s, as no incriminating evidence has been found. The suspect has denied everything.
“The only thing we are waiting for is the doctor’s report. The doctor treating the boy at the general hospital must confirm whether the boy’s symptoms align with the allegations—that he was forced to consume faeces. If the medical report supports the claim, we can proceed with stronger charges.”
The matter is scheduled to be heard again on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
