Lagos female teacher remanded for assaulting three-year-old pupil

A 45-year-old teacher, Stella Nwadigo, has been remanded by the Ogba Chief Magistrate Court on Thursday for assaulting a three-year-old pupil of Christ-Mitos Primary School in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

A viral video on Wednesday showed Nwadigbo slapping the toddler at intervals for not learning to write numbers fast.

The video attracted public condemnation and outrage, leading to the teacher’s arrest.

During the arraignment, the police prosecutor, Supol Akeem Raji, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at about 11 am.

Raji said the incident occurred at the Chris Mistot School in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

He said she indecently dealt with a three-year-old pupil of the school in her class one, Abayomi Michael, by giving him injury on his face.

The prosecutor also told the court that the defendant assaulted Abayomi by giving him fist blows consistently on his face, which caused him injury and swollen face.

According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Sections 135 and 172, of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against her.

Consequently, Magistrate Olabisi Kusanu granted her bail in the sum of N200,000, with two sureties in like sum who are gainfully employed.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement obtained by PUNCH Metro on Thursday, stated that the suspect was remanded at the Kirikiri correctional facility until February 18, when the case would continue.

The police spokesman added that the pupil had been taken to a medical facility for a proper check-up.

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.