The authorities in Nigeria's Imo state have been asked to arrest a man who allegedly assaulted and broke the arm of his two-month-old baby.

The 31-year-old man is reported to have assaulted his baby with a plastic cloth hanger for disturbing his sleep.

His wife told the BBC that the man took her phone and locked her and the baby in a room and threatened her not to tell the neighbours.

She finally escaped two days later and took her baby to a hospital where doctors amputated the arm.

Dr Chiedozie Mbalewe who treated the baby told the BBC that the amputation was done to save the baby's life.

The suspect is on the run and the mother has reported the case to the police.

A group of women journalists and the National Human Rights Commission have called for justice.

Cases of violence against children in Nigeria have increased by 5% between 2016 and 2021, according to Unicef.

Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) latest survey shows that the highest cases were recorded in Cross River and Imo states.

The country’s laws protect children against physical, mental or emotional injury and all forms of abuse, but implementation is low.