Lagos Directorate Of Citizen’s Rights Gives Police Ultimatum
A little girl of eight years narrowly escaped death in Lagos when a man in his early forties beat her to stupor for allegedly littering the floor of the compound where he lives with the girl and her parents.
The Directorate of Citizens Rights, an agency under the auspices of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, has however, directed the state police command to swing into action by getting the suspect arrested to face the music and secure justice for Deborah.
The little girl, Deborah Olowookere, was given the beating of her life recently by a neighbour, Adedayo Temi a.k.a Shigashi who claimed that the girl messed up the compound with papers.
All the entreaties by other neighbours and the mother of the girl to spare her fell on his deaf ear as he continued to kick the girl as if he was engaged in a brawl with an adult. Arogidigba reliably gathered that Adebayo persistently beat Deborah until she fainted on the 18th of April 2025 at their residence in Ikorodu, Lagos State. It was further gathered that the little girl also collapsed on the way to the hospital, Joyful hospital, at 23 Association Avenue, Ewu Owa Street, Ikorodu where she subsequently spent three days on admission bed.
Gripped with fear of what could be the outcome of his action, Adedayo quickly ran to the police station to lodge a false report of assault on him by a neighbour. He however, deliberately failed to disclose that he had a brawl with an eight-year-old girl who is young enough to be his daughter.
His lies however, fell flat like a pack of cards when Deborah’s parents stormed the police station to seek redress.
The police officer in charge, name withheld, insisted that Adedayo would be responsible for the hospital bills of the girl. He was however, released but asked to be reporting to the station whenever his attention was needed. He has continued to shun the invitation of the police contrary to the gentleman agreement he had with the law enforcers.
The Olowookeres who had initially agreed to allow the matter lie low had to cry out to the Lagos State Government for intervention when Adedayo was said to be threatening that he would make life unbearable for them in Ikorodu.
The father of the little girl, Mr Kayode Olowookere however, appealed to Lagos State Government and Human Rights Organisations in the state to fight for his family to get justice.
Deborah’s parents petitioned the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State to seek redress. Speaking with Arogidigba via the telephone, the State Counsel, Directorate of Citizens Rights, Mrs Oladogba Mojolaoluwa, confirmed that her office received the petition by Deborah’s parents.
She explained that since the matter was already with the police, her office would allow them to do their job and request them to furnish the Attorney General’s office with outcome of the investigation.
The Directorate has however, sent a letter to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Imota Police Station, Ikorodu to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegation of assault of Deborah. The Directorate of Citizens Rights also directed the Police that upon conclusion of investigation, the duplicate case file be forwarded to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions Lagos State Ministry of Justice within two weeks.
The Directorate of Citizens Rights asked the Police to direct the suspect to present himself in person at its office (Room 104) on 22nd of May 2025 UNFAILINGLY.