A 10-year-old boy, identified as Lawal Ojasope, has been rescued after reportedly suffering repeated physical abuse from his father and stepmother at their residence on Borokini Street, Aga, Ikorodu, Lagos.
The case was brought to the attention of the Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network (ACVPN) following a report from a community source who raised concerns about the child’s continuous maltreatment.
According to the mandated reporter who informed Comrade Toyin Okanlawon (a.k.a. OKLAHGOGO), Head of Rescue and Referral at ACVPN, the young boy had been enduring frequent beatings from his father and stepmother over minor issues. Teachers at his school reportedly noticed that Lawal often came to school malnourished, with visible wounds and injuries of varying degrees.
“They were the ones feeding him most times,” the reporter said. “Teachers would buy him food and water because he often came to school hungry.”
The abuse came to light after Lawal failed to show up at school one morning. Concerned teachers and the Chairman of the Parents’ Forum, Mr Alli Adesola, visited the boy’s home located just a few houses from the school, where they found him with a severely swollen right eye and visible bruises.
When confronted, the father, Mr Ridwan Ojasope, allegedly admitted to beating the child, claiming he had the right to do whatever he pleased with his son. He explained that he assaulted Lawal for wetting the bed, saying he used a belt and that the buckle likely caused the eye injury.
Ridwan, a commercial motorcyclist, further alleged that the boy “used to steal,” a claim neighbours disputed, insisting that he often beat the child without cause. The stepmother reportedly denied direct involvement in the beating but acknowledged that her husband inflicted the injuries. Witnesses said she and Ridwan took care of their two biological children while neglecting Lawal.
The ACVPN team, along with the teachers, handed Ridwan over to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at Ikorodu Division (Barracks Police Station). The DPO instructed the Officer-in-Charge of the Family Support Unit to detain the suspect for further investigation.
Due to the severity of his injuries, ACVPN recommended that Lawal be placed in protective custody and receive medical attention. The organisation has called on the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development and the School Social Work Unit to ensure the child’s safety and welfare through prompt intervention.
