Neighbours in a Lagos suburb have called on the state government to rescue 13-year-old Sodeeq Owolabi from his father, a security guard who reportedly smashed the boy’s head against a toilet’s water closet. The teenager was seen fleeing his home with a bloodied head and a swollen face after the brutal encounter.

Witnesses claim the assault followed an argument over a mobile phone Sodeeq allegedly brought home without a clear explanation.

Despite elderly neighbors intervening to calm the situation, the father, Mr. Owolabi, reportedly dragged the boy into the toilet and locked him inside before physically assaulting him.

Community members expressed deep concern, noting that the boy has faced consistent cruelty since his mother passed away when he was six. They alleged the father frequently locks him out in the cold without food and has even forced him to withdraw from school in JSS 2.

One neighbor, who spoke anonymously, highlighted the toxic environment the boy lives in, stating, “The man smokes cannabis, and he usually sent his son to buy the substance for him in the neighbourhood, thus exposing his son to vices.”

Defending his actions, Mr. Owolabi claimed the boy has a habit of petty stealing and that he was only trying to discipline him. He dismissed allegations of maltreatment, insisting that his son’s recalcitrant behavior and frequent thefts have brought shame to the family.

The local community remains on edge, fearing the boy’s life is in danger if he remains in his father’s custody. Residents are urgently seeking the intervention of the Lagos State authorities to rehabilitate Sodeeq and prevent further violence.