A Lagos school proprietor, Benson Arinze,has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Lagos State Sexual Offences andDomestic Violence Court for sexually assaulting a six-year-old pupil within hisschool premises in the lbeju-Lekki area of thestate.
Justice Abiola Soladoye,who delivered the judgment at the lkeja division of the Lagos State Sexual Offences and DomesticViolence Court, found Arinze guilty of aone-count charge of sexual assault by penetration.
Arinze, owner of Nurtured Brooks Nursery and Primary School, Ibeju-Lekki, was found guilty of a one-count charge of sexual assault by penetration.
In her judgment, Justice Soladoye described the evidence presented by the defence as “merely self-serving” and incapable of discrediting the survivor’s testimony and other corroborative evidence led by the prosecution.
The prosecution told the court that Arinze took advantage of the young pupil who stayed behind after school hours to repeatedly sexually assault her within the school premises.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the abuse came to light after the child’s mother noticed unusual behaviour in her daughter and pressed her for answers.
According to the prosecution, the minor then opened up about the horrifying ordeal she had endured.
The survivor’s father promptly reported the matter to the Elemoro Police Station, leading to Arinze’s arrest and prosecution.
The offence, the court held, contravened Section 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The court added what his name will be forthwith registered in the Sexual Offenders Register maintained by the Lagos State government, in line with Sections 33 and 38 of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law, 2021.
“Let’s continuously break the culture of silence!” the court noted.
Parents have been urged to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases of abuse immediately, as the Lagos State government vows its commitment to safeguarding children from sexual predators.
In January 2026, Justice Rahman Oshodi of the same Ikeja Sexual Offences Court sentenced a Social Studies teacher, David Oddion, at Hilltop Grade International School, Agungi Road, Lekki, to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old Grade 3 pupil.
In April 2025, another teacher received a 10-year sentence for sexually abusing a 16-year-old boy, while cases involving biological fathers and authority figures continue to shock the public.
Lagos has recorded dozens of sexual and domestic violence cases annually, with children in areas like Ikorodu, Kosofe, and Alimosho disproportionately affected.
It was further gathered that despite over 3600 child abuse cases reportedly recorded in Lagos in recent years, convictions remain relatively low, fuelling calls for stronger safeguards, mandatory background checks for school staff, and aggressive prosecution.
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