A Lagos court has sentenced Benson Arinze, the owner of Nurtured Brooks Nursery and Primary School in Ibeju-Lekki, to life imprisonment for the sexual assault of a six-year-old pupil.
Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Ikeja-based Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court found him guilty on a single count of sexual assault by penetration.
The judge dismissed the defence’s evidence as “merely self-serving,” stating it failed to undermine the survivor’s testimony or the prosecution’s corroborating evidence.
The prosecution proved that Arinze repeatedly assaulted the girl after school hours. The abuse was uncovered when the child’s mother noticed behavioral changes and pressed for answers, leading the girl to reveal the ordeal.
The father reported the matter to Elemoro Police Station, resulting in Arinze’s arrest. The court ruled the offence violated Section 261 of Lagos State’s Criminal Laws, 2015, and ordered Arinze’s name entered into the state’s Sexual Offenders Register.
The judge urged parents to remain vigilant and “continuously break the culture of silence.” The conviction follows other recent cases, including a life sentence for teacher David Oddion in January 2026 and a 10-year term in April 2025, highlighting ongoing concerns about child safety in Lagos schools despite thousands of reported abuse cases.
