A Magistrate Court sitting in Ogba, Area of Lagos State has ordered the remand of Stella Nwadigbo, 45, at the Kirikiri Correctional Facility for allegedly assaulting a three-year-old pupil in Ikorodu..
The court’s decision came after Nwadigbo was arraigned on Thursday, January 9, following her arrest by the Lagos State Police Command, according to a statement by the Command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin.
Her arrest was prompted by a viral video showing the suspect subjecting the child to degrading treatment, which sparked public outrage.
The footage, which went viral on social media, showed the teacher aggressively smacking the child in the face repeatedly for struggling with a lesson.
The incident was initially handled by the Family Support Unit (FSU) of the Ikorodu Police Division before being transferred to the Gender Unit at the Command Headquarters for further investigation.
The police noted that the victim has since been taken to a medical facility for treatment.
While the Ogba Magistrate Court 1 adjourned the case to February 18, 2025, for further hearing, the suspect was remanded in custody at the Kirikiri Correctional Facility.
“Following receipt of the video, the Family Support Unit (FSU) of Ikorodu Police Division promptly arrested the suspect on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, and transferred her to the Gender Unit of the Command Headquarters same day after preliminary investigations.
The victim was taken to a medical facility for adequate medical attention.
“The suspect has since been remanded to Kirikiri Correctional facility till February 18, 2025, when the case comes up for continuation of hearing.
“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olanrewaju Ishola, while commending Nigerians for promptly alerting the police to the situation, assures them of the ever-readiness of the command to respond quickly and appropriately to situations towards ensuring the safety and security of resident and visitors to Lagos State,” the statement added.
In response to the incident, Christ Mitots School, where the incident happened, issued a public apology to the child’s family and announced the indefinite suspension of the teacher.
