Man Arrested for Assaulting Six-Year-Old Girl in Lagos

The girl and the suspect

he Lagos State Police Command has arrested a driver, Tayo Arowolo, for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend’s six-year-old sister, identified as Maria, in the Idimu area of Lagos. The arrest was carried out by officers led by the Divisional Police Officer of the Idimu Division, CSP Agatha Eze.

According to the investigation, Arowolo, his girlfriend, Adejoke, and Maria were at home when he attempted to help the child with her school assignment. During the process, his girlfriend stepped out to attend to other tasks. Arowolo stated that he became frustrated when Maria struggled to understand the lesson, leading him to beat her with a belt and slippers.

6-year old Maria

"I was arrested because I beat the six-year-old girl named Maria, who lives with me. Maria is not my biological child; she is the lastborn of my wife’s family. We brought her from the village in Ikire, Osun State, to Lagos," Arowolo admitted.

He further explained that he did not initially realize the extent of the injuries Maria sustained. Upon noticing them the next day, he felt remorseful and purchased medication for her.

"This is not the first time I have helped her with homework. Usually, when she struggles, I assist her to finish quickly so I can leave. But that day, since I had nowhere to go, I became angry when she was not getting it and beat her," he added.

Tayo Arowolo

Arowolo insisted that his pregnant girlfriend was not involved in the assault and expressed regret over his actions, stating that he would never repeat such behavior.

When asked whether he would have treated Maria the same way if she were his biological child, Arowolo remained silent.