Human Rights Lawyer Inibehe Effiong Backs Mum Harassed by Police Over Viral Review of ‘Violent’ Nursery Textbook; Lagos Govt Denies Approving ‘Red-Hot Iron’ Story

A legal battle is brewing in the “educational trenches” of Lagos as human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong stepped in to defend a mother who was hauled before the police for criticizing a nursery school textbook. Maryqueen Udoka, a mother of two, found herself at the Zone 2 Police Command on Thursday after her viral review of a book containing graphic imagery sparked a firestorm of controversy and a retaliatory complaint from the author.

The drama began when Mrs. Udoka shared a video expressing her horror at a passage in the “English Language Foundation for Nursery School” textbook. The story, titled “The Old Man and the Dog,” describes a scene where an old man tortures a dog with a heated iron. “As a first-time mum, my children are my priority,” Udoka stated, questioning why such “sickening” content was being fed to five-year-olds.

Rather than a review of the curriculum, the situation turned into a police matter when the author, Ebhohimen Ayengbe, reportedly instigated an invitation by the police, claiming his work was being “discredited.” However, Inibehe Effiong, who accompanied the mother to her three-hour meeting with the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) on Thursday, blasted the move as an attempt to silence a concerned citizen.

“My client has committed no crime,” Effiong said shortly after departing the station. “She was simply asking a question as a parent. The author will have to justify his actions and explain why the police are being used to settle what is essentially an academic and moral dispute.”

In a major blow to the author’s defense, the Lagos State Government has officially “flagged” the book. The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education confirmed that the textbook is not among those authorized for use in the state’s schools. The ministry has already launched a probe into how the unapproved material made its way into the hands of nursery pupils.

While Mrs. Udoka has since been reunited with her family, the case is far from over. With the next hearing set for May 7, the “digital-age” debate over child safety and curriculum standards is just getting started. For now, the message from the legal team is clear: parents have a right to know what their children are reading, and “red-hot irons” have no place in a nursery classroom.