Crime
TEACHER CAUGHT ON CAMERA ASSAULTING 3-YEAR-OLD PUPIL ARRESTED, CHARGED TO COURT
A 45-year-old teacher, Stella Nwadigbo, has been arrested and charged to court for physically assaulting a 3-year-old pupil, Abayomi Michael, at Christ-Mitots International School in Ikorodu, Lagos State. The incident was captured on camera and sparked widespread outrage across social media platforms.
According to the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Nwadigbo was arrested on Tuesday, January 8, 2025, immediately after the incident. Adejobi vowed that justice must be served, stating, “Child Abuse: One Stella Nwadigo, aged 45, the teacher who physically abused the 3-year-old Abayomi Micheal of Christ-Mitots School in Ikorodu, has been arrested by the police… Justice must be served.”
The teacher has pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court. The Lagos State Ministry of Education has also launched an investigation into the incident, with the matter escalated to the relevant departments for further action.
The Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, confirmed the teacher’s arrest and stated that an investigation had begun. “The teacher has been arrested and is currently in police custody. The police will commence an investigation, and we hope she will be charged in court after the outcome of their findings,” she said.
The incident has sparked outrage among Nigerians, with many calling for stricter measures to address child abuse in educational institutions. A social commentator, VeryDarkMan, threatened to lead a protest at the school if the teacher was not held accountable. “To the owners of Christ-Mitots, you have just 24 hours to explain why the teacher treated that child in such a way… Look at how she slapped that child. Imagine if he had fallen, and God forbid, they would likely invent a story about him falling while playing,” he said.
The Chief Operating Officer at Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network, Ebenezer Omejalile, emphasized the need for appropriate interventions, including a thorough medical examination, psychological treatment, and efforts to rebuild the child’s self-esteem. “The perpetrator should face the wrath of the law so that she will serve as a deterrent to others… Lastly, I expect the Lagos State Ministry of Education, through the Quality Assurance Department, to move in as swiftly as possible,” he added.
A 30-year-old pregnant woman is currently receiving medical treatment after she was allegedly raped and assaulted by a 24-year-old suspect, identified as Ugwu Desmond, in Affa community, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
According to the Enugu State Police Command, the incident occurred on the night of March 14, 2026, when the victim was returning home from a neighbour’s house along a quiet path in Amokwo-Affa.
Police said the suspect, armed with a cutlass, reportedly trailed the victim before attacking her from behind. He allegedly forced her to the ground, attempted to strangle her, and covered her mouth to prevent her from raising alarm. The assailant then dragged her into an uncompleted building where he threatened to kill her before raping her and inflicting injuries.
The victim reportedly managed to survive the ordeal and reported the incident to authorities around 6:15 a.m. the following day, prompting swift action by operatives of the Affa Police Division, who arrested the suspect.
The police said the victim was immediately taken to hospital for treatment, while investigators processed the scene and recovered key exhibits, including the cutlass used in the attack and clothing suspected to contain blood and seminal stains.
The Command’s spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the development, adding that the suspect has confessed to the crime.
Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, described the incident as disturbing and assured that a thorough investigation is ongoing. He stated that the suspect would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
Giwa also urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities promptly, stressing that community awareness is critical to preventing crime.
A Nigerian national, James Junior Aliyu, has been sentenced to 90 months (seven and a half years) in prison in the United States for his involvement in a large-scale wire fraud and money laundering scheme.
According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Aliyu played a key role in a transnational cybercrime network that targeted business email systems and defrauded individuals and organisations of millions of dollars.
Investigations revealed that the fraud scheme involved hacking into corporate email accounts and using them to divert funds through fraudulent transactions. Authorities said the operation affected multiple victims and formed part of a broader business email compromise (BEC) conspiracy.
Aliyu was arrested in South Africa in 2022 following an international investigation involving Interpol and local law enforcement before being extradited to the United States to face trial.
The 30-year-old later pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. As part of the sentence, the court ordered him to forfeit $1.2 million and pay $2.4 million in restitution to victims.
Authorities also confirmed that Aliyu will be deported after completing his prison term.
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested a suspected gunrunner, Kelvin Ebikeniye Dugo, in Cross River State, intercepting a cache of 850 rounds of live ammunition.
The arrest, which took place on March 16 at Ivara Esu Estate in Odukpani Local Government Area, followed credible intelligence on the suspect’s alleged plan to acquire the ammunition.
Security sources said Dugo was apprehended shortly after receiving the consignment, which had been concealed inside food items. The ammunition was reportedly supplied by another suspected gunrunner, Azenda Barnabas, also known as Jagaban, based in Aliade, Benue State.
Items recovered during the operation included 850 rounds of live ammunition and two empty AK-47 magazines.
The sources noted that the DSS has stepped up operations nationwide in a bid to dismantle gunrunning networks and curb the proliferation of illegal arms.
They added that the latest arrest underscores the agency’s ongoing commitment to tracking down and prosecuting individuals involved in arms trafficking across the country.