By Emmanuel Daniji

A three-year-old girl in Gberigbe, Ikorodu, Lagos, has reportedly been rescued by neighbours after her stepfather allegedly assaulted her inside their home.

The incident has sparked outrage after a video showing neighbours confronting the child’s mother and taking the girl away from the house surfaced online.

According to reports circulating on social media, the man had allegedly been physically abusing the child and her mother before the latest incident. The circumstances surrounding the alleged abuse have not been independently established.

In the video, neighbours can be heard confronting the mother over what they described as her failure to protect the child. The woman is seen arguing with them as they remove the young girl from the house.

Photographs shared alongside the reports show the child with visible swelling and scratches on her face, which were reportedly sustained during the alleged assault.

A social media user who shared the video on October 5 alleged that the man had repeatedly beaten the child “for no reason or any slight mistake” and appealed to relevant authorities to intervene.

Reports further claim that the alleged perpetrator fled the area after neighbours intervened.

The child’s mother was reportedly arrested following the incident, although there was no immediate official statement from the police confirming the arrest or explaining the circumstances surrounding it.

The case has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of children living in homes where domestic violence is allegedly taking place.

For the three-year-old girl, the intervention of neighbours appears to have provided an immediate escape from the situation. However, questions remain about her safety, the condition of her mother and what action authorities will take against anyone found responsible.

Authorities are expected to investigate the allegations and establish exactly what happened before determining any criminal responsibility.