A 39-year-old man, Nurudeen Ogungbenro, has been arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly abusing his three-year-old son in the Ikola area of Lagos State.
Ogungbenro was arraigned on Charge No. MI/HT/39/2026 before Magistrate Mrs. M.O. Tanimola, following a charge filed by the Commissioner of Police against him.
The prosecutor, ASP Lucky Ihehie, told the court that the defendant allegedly committed the offence on August 13, 2026, at about 3:30 p.m., at Ikola Road, Ikola, Lagos, within the Lagos Magisterial District.
According to the charge sheet, the defendant was alleged to have abused his three-year-old son by hitting him on the head with a plank, thereby inflicting injury on the child.
The prosecution said the alleged act contravened Section 135 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
The charge was read to the defendant in open court and his plea was taken. The Magistrate also recorded the findings of the court on the arraignment.
Giving details of the investigation, the Police said the case was handled by the Gender Section of the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja. The case file was prepared by ASP Mariam Olowo as the Investigating Police Officer, while CSP Omolola Odutola endorsed the charge for prosecution.
The prosecutor urged the court to remand the defendant and allow the prosecution to proceed in line with due process, pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution, Lagos State Ministry of Justice.
In her ruling, Magistrate Tanimola granted the defendant bail with two sureties.
The court ordered that the sureties must show evidence of means of livelihood and evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
The Magistrate further ordered that the defendant be remanded in custody at the Correctional Centre, Kirikiri Town, pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
The court adjourned the matter to a later date for mention and for the outcome of the DPP’s legal advice.
Child rights advocates have continued to urge parents and guardians to shun violent methods of discipline and to adopt lawful and non-violent approaches to correcting children.
They noted that the Lagos State Government maintains zero tolerance for child abuse, domestic violence and any form of maltreatment of minors, urging residents to promptly report such cases to the police Gender Section or the nearest family support unit.
As at the time of filing this report, the matter is still pending before the court. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.