Two men, Stephen Bona, 31, and Michael Adeniyi, were arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court sitting at Ogba on Friday over allegations of defiling a 15-year-old minor.
According to the charge sheet filed by the Commissioner of Police, the offences were allegedly committed between January and March 2026 at separate locations within Ikotun in the Lagos Magisterial District.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants defiled the minor on different occasions. The alleged offence is contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
Section 137 prescribes life imprisonment for anyone convicted of defiling a minor. The law did not provide for an option of fine.
The case was reported on 6th April, 2026, in the afternoon by a relative to the victim. The matter was handled by the Family Support Unit, FSU, Ikotun Police Station.
The investigating officer, Inspector Ujah Paulina ,of the FSU, deposed to an affidavit for remand warrant. She stated that she was conversant with the facts and circumstances of the case.
The affidavit, sworn before a Magistrate Court Registrar, was obtained to enable Police remand the suspects pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, DPP.
The charge was approved by the DPP’s Office and filed through the District Prosecutor’s Office, Lagos State Ministry of Justice. The remand application was signed by CSP Sadiku Afolabi Ibrahim.
However, the Court did not take their plea after the prosecutor, Inspector Lucky Ihiehie, asked the Court to refer the case to the DPP for legal advice.
Thus, the Presiding Magistrate, Mrs M.O.Tanimola, ordered their remand in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice and directed the prosecutor to duplicate their files and send them to the DPP for advice.
The matter was adjourned for mention pending the DPP’s advice on jurisdiction, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not.
Child rights lawyers say Lagos State prosecutes defilement cases under Section 137 and the VAPP Act 2015 to protect minors. The identity of the 15-year-old has been withheld in line with Section 31 VAPP Act to protect privacy. All parties remain arep innocent until the court delivers judgment.
