The Proprietor of Megland Comprehensive School, Lekki, Lagos State, Emmanuel Madueke, has been arrested by the police for allegedly molesting and harassing a female student of the school.

It was gathered that 62-year-old Madueke, who developed a cordial relationship with the student, had on May 26, 2021, made advances to the victim during the school’s Children Day celebration and kissed her on the lips, but she pushed him away and ran out of his office.

The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, in a statement on Sunday, stated that its team, which comprised officers of the Office of Education Quality Assurance, Ministry of Youth and Social Development and the DSVRT, visited the school based on the state government’s Executive Order on Safeguarding and Child Protection Programme, 2016.

The Coordinator of the DSVRT, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, who noted that the proprietor’s alleged act contravened the Child’s Rights Law, 2015 as well as sections 135 and 263 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, said the suspect claimed that his action was an innocent gesture on the student’s cheek.

The statement read in part, “In an interview with the student by the team, the affected child disclosed that the school proprietor, on May 26, 2021, which happened to be the school’s Children Day celebration, made advances to her and kissed her on her lips, but she was able to push him away and ran out of his office.

“She added that since the incident, she had made every effort to keep a distance from the proprietor. Further investigations revealed that the affected child might not be the only student to have fallen victim to sexual harassment in the hands of the alleged perpetrator.

“It was further alleged that Mr Emmanuel Madueke tactically grooms female students, who become acquainted with him, promising educational advancement as a reward.

“The team, however, reported the case to the Ilasan Police Division with the investigation ongoing by the Gender Desk Department of the Lagos State Police Command. The Lagos State Government, after the investigation, reiterated its commitment to ensuring the protection of children from all forms of sexual and gender-based violence, warning that no form of sexual and gender-based violence would be tolerated in the state.”