2 dogs attack 4-year-old boy in Lagos, eat up his scalp

The life of a four-year-old boy, Omonigho Abraham, currently hangs in the balance at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, after his scalp was eaten by two dogs. The dogs attacked the little boy on Thursday on Adegboyega Street, Akesan Estate, in the Igando area of Lagos, chewing the skin of his head and exposing his skull.

Omonigho Abraham, before andafter the attack. Photo credit: PUNCH

According to Punch, eyewitnesses said policemen and sympathizers watched helplessly outside the house, as the dogs dragged the boy through the compound for more than one hour. They were all afraid of being attacked by the savage dogs.

The victim’s immediate elder brother, Osemudiamen, 7, told the newspaper that the victim and another of his elder brother, Bobby, were taking turns to ride a bicycle when the dogs chased Omonigho.

He said, “We were riding a bicycle in the compound when the big dogs ─ Jack and Gadaffi ─ started barking at us. Later, they moved towards us.

“My elder brother and I quickly ran upstairs and locked the door while Omo (Omonigho), who could not run fast, was left behind. When he got to the door, he knocked that we should open for him and as we did, one of the dogs forced his way into the house with him.

“We all ran out. Bobby jumped down from upstairs and I also jumped. But Omo could not jump, so the dog attacked him. The other dog also joined in the attack and there was nothing we could do.”

An eyewitness told the paper on condition of anonymity that the screams of the children attracted people to the compound. He said: “The police came, but said there was nothing they could do. The dogs were growling as they ate the child alive and that sent fear into everyone. Nobody could move inside to challenge the dogs. Everybody was just shouting in confusion and wielding sticks.”

The victim’s mother, Mrs. Helen Abraham, who at the time of the incident told Punch that, “When I got there, I met a crowd. They asked me not to go inside, but I refused to listen to them. One of the dogs emerged from the corridor with blood stains in its mouth. I ran inside. The other dog, on sighting me, pounced, but I fought back. It later ran away. I called on people who joined me to take him to a hospital.

The owner of the dog, Stanley Wesley, as well as his dogs have been arrested by the police. Residents said Wesley, who owned three savage dogs had been repeatedly warned to take his dogs elsewhere but he didn’t listen.

A medical officer in LASUTH described the boy’s condition as “serious and critical.”