A Lagos court sentenced Azeez Shoderu, a bricklayer, to life imprisonment on June 16, 2025, for sexually assaulting his neighbor’s eight-year-old daughter in a toilet. The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, presided over by Justice Rahman Oshodi, convicted Shoderu after the prosecution proved the charge of defilement.
The child’s testimony, supported by evidence from an investigative police officer and a medical report, confirmed that Shoderu committed the assault. The court noted the child’s consistent account that Shoderu took her to the toilet, covered her mouth, and assaulted her. Shoderu’s attempt to deny the incident was dismissed as inconsistent.
The judge highlighted the severe psychological harm caused to the child, stating it could take a lifetime to heal. Shoderu, a squatter on Ago-Hausa Street in Ajegunle, Lagos, admitted to interacting with the child at the compound but claimed he only asked her to bring water. The court rejected his defense, emphasizing that a child under 18 cannot consent to sexual activity.
During the trial, the prosecution, led by Mr. Dare Dada, presented three witnesses and exhibits, while Shoderu testified in his defense. The court ordered his name to be registered as a sex offender, citing Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of 2015.
