Sexual abuse: ‘Parents now blackmail schools’ — consultant cries out over jailed Lagos teacher

A Nigerian education consultant identified as Yinka Ogunde has alleged that some parents now actively blackmail schools and their staff members.

The consultant shared a number of cases in the wake of the arrest of a staffer of Methodist Girls High School, Yaba identified as Bakare Adewale over assault allegations.

Adewale, 48, was alleged to have sexually molested a 9-year-old female student in the school.

It was gathered that the father of the girl, identified as Adebisi Arewa, went to a police station at Illupeju to report the case.

Although he did not give details of how the incident occurred, it was also reported that the police arrested and later transferred the accused to the gender section of the command for interrogation.

In her Facebook post on Thursday, Ogunde lamented that some parents now actively blackmail schools.

She claimed the accuser had a proclivity for making accusations against school staff without providing evidence.

“It was painful listening to various stories about how some parents manipulate and sometimes blackmail schools. Adewale Bakare is a teacher and works with Methodist Girls High School,” the consultant wrote.

“Unfortunately, a parent well noted for accusing workers in the school environment of sexually abusing his daughter(s) got him arrested on a totally unfounded allegation.

“I asked why Bakare. He apparently had a disagreement with the said father sometime in December about parking space.

“The father of the young girl, a law lecturer (some said professor), got him arrested and remanded in Kirikiri claiming he abused his daughter.

“The father of the girl about four years ago accused a school bus driver of the same offense (his daughter does not go with the school bus).

“According to the lawyer of the young school bus driver, there was not a single piece of evidence that showed any contact between the driver and the young girl. Unfortunately, he was sent to life imprisonment this February.”

Ogunde said the pregnant wife of the embattled teacher went into premature labour due to trauma from the case.

“The same father also accused a cleaner and a female teacher. Fortunately, they got off but the female teacher lost her pregnancy during the stressful period,” she added.

“Now Bakare is in Kirikiri. His own family is traumatized his wife went into early labour and his baby is still in an incubator. Of course, he has been badly beaten in prison. I can really tell you a lot but let me stop here.

“We must not allow the judicial system to jail an innocent man. The lawyer father has destroyed too many lives. He lives alone with two young daughters.

“He parks his car right inside the school to watch everything especially since the ASUU strike began and he did not need to go to work). Let us pray that the magistrate will do the right thing and release the teacher.”