A 45-year-old Lagos-based trader, Ukeme Etim, has been remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Centre by an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defiling his wife’s 8-year-old niece.
EpeInsights learnt that the presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs. O. O. Kushanu, declined to take the defendant’s plea during Friday’s proceedings. She ordered that Etim be remanded pending the advice of the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), expected to be presented on September 4, 2025.
According to the prosecution led by ASP Adegoke Ademigbuji, the incident occurred on May 31, 2025, at the defendant’s residence, located at 37, Okpya Street, Aboru, Lagos.
The prosecutor informed the court that the accused allegedly sexually assaulted the child while his wife was away at the market. The young victim later confided in her aunt—Etim’s wife—who promptly reported the matter to the authorities.
Etim is facing charges bordering on sexual assault and defilement, serious offences under Sections 137 and 264 of the Lagos State Criminal Law of 2015.
If found guilty, the accused could face a life sentence, as defilement of a child under 13 years carries some of the heaviest penalties under Nigerian law.
The case adds to a growing number of sexual assault cases involving minors in Lagos. Only recently, several similar cases have emerged, prompting renewed calls for stricter monitoring and child protection mechanisms within homes and communities.
With the case now awaiting the DPP’s advice, legal analysts expect that a decision will soon be made on whether the case will proceed to the High Court for full trial. Until then, Ukeme Etim will remain in custody.
The Lagos State government continues to encourage the public to report all forms of abuse against children and promises swift justice for victims.
