•Embattled teacher, Stella Nwadigbo
The Lagos State Government today invoked the Child Rights Act and the Lagos State Policy on Safeguarding and Child Protection against Mrs Stella Nwadigbo, a teacher at Christ Mitots Nursery and Primary School, Isawo Agric, Ikorodu, for what it described as the indecent treatment of a three-year-old pupil of the school, Master Abayomi Michael.
Mrs Nwadigbo was seen in a viral video on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, aggressively smacking the toddler in the face repeatedly for struggling with a maths lesson.
The Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA) of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, in its fact-finding mission, visited the school (government-approved) yesterday, Thursday, January 9, 2025, and discovered it was partially self-shut down, with pupils asked to stay at home until Monday, January 13, reports Nigerian Tribune.
In her reaction, the head teacher of the school, Mrs B. Adeyeri, on behalf of the proprietor, Rev. (Mrs) O.N. Olutoye, confirmed the need to protect other pupils from harassment and uncontrollable visits and pressure from the public, who had been visiting the school premises for pictures/videos, which necessitated the temporary closure of the school.
Meanwhile, Master Abayomi Michael has been referred for adequate medical attention, and Mrs Nwadigbo arrested and subsequently remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional facility till February 18, 2025, awaiting the Director of Public Prosecution’s legal advice on the case.
The state Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, in a statement made available today by its head of public affairs department, Mr Kayode Sutton, said Mrs Nwadigbo’s action had contravened the Child Rights Act and the Lagos State Policy on Safeguarding and Child Protection, which are punishable offences under the law.
The ministry added that investigations would continue on Monday, January 13, and this requires the attention of the school proprietor, Mrs O.N. Olutoye, the head teacher, Mrs B. Adeyeri, the pupil concerned, Master Abayomi Michael, and his mother, Mrs Okunlaya Adenike Fatimah, who is also a teacher in the school.
