A Lagos court has remanded a 45-year-old teacher, Stella Nwadigo, following allegations of assaulting a three-year-old pupil in her care. The incident, which occurred at Christ-Mitos Primary School in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, has sparked widespread outrage after a disturbing video of the assault went viral.
The video showed Nwadigo repeatedly slapping the toddler, identified as Abayomi Michael, for struggling to learn how to write numbers. The footage, shared widely on social media, led to immediate public condemnation and prompted the teacher’s arrest by the Lagos State Police Command on January 8, 2025.
During the court proceedings at the Ogba Chief Magistrate Court, police prosecutor Supol Akeem Raji detailed the severity of the assault, which left the child with facial injuries.
The charges against Nwadigo include indecent treatment of a child and physical assault, violating Sections 135 and 172 of the Lagos State Criminal Law of 2015.
Although the defendant pleaded not guilty, Magistrate Olabisi Kusanu granted her bail at N200,000 with two sureties. Nwadigo has been remanded at the Kirikiri correctional facility, pending the continuation of her trial on February 18, 2025.
The Lagos State Police confirmed that the child has been taken to a medical facility for evaluation. Commissioner of Police Olanrewaju Ishola commended citizens for bringing the matter to light, reiterating the police’s commitment to ensuring justice and safety.
The statement read, “The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned Stella Nwadigo, aged 45, for indecent treatment and assault of a child.
“The suspect, who was arraigned in Magistrate Court 1, Ogba today, January 9, 2025, had been captured in a viral video indecently treating and assaulting a three-year-old pupil of a primary school in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
“Following receipt of the video, the Family Support Unit of Ikorodu Police Division promptly arrested the suspect on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, and transferred her to the Gender Unit of the Command Headquarters the same day after preliminary investigations. The victim was taken to a medical facility for adequate medical attention.
“The suspect has since been remanded to the Kirikiri correctional facility till February 18, 2025, when the case comes up for continuation of hearing.”
Meanwhile, the school has suspended the teacher indefinitely and issued a public apology to the victim’s family.
The school said that its immediate and decisive action reflected its zero tolerance for misconduct and its obligation to safeguard every child under its care.
The statement read in part, “We are aware of a deeply troubling incident involving a teacher engaging in physical discipline of a student in a completely unacceptable manner.
“As an institution deeply committed to fostering a culture of respect, care and dignity, we are horrified by this incident and wish to make it clear that such actions will not be tolerated.
“In response, the teacher involved has been suspended indefinitely, while a thorough investigation is being conducted,” it said.
“As such, we have an open door policy to provide students, parents and guardians with a safe space to voice any concerns without fear,” it said.
The school said that it had apologised to the pupil and his family.
“We have reached out to them to express our regret. We ask for the public’s patience and understanding as we work to address this matter responsibly and comprehensively.
“We will be organising mandatory training sessions for teachers to reinforce child protection protocols, emphasise positive disciplinary practices, and cultivate greater sensitivity in interactions with students, ” it added.
