Father Raises Concerns After Two Young Children Allegedly Held for Over Five Hours Following Mall Glass Accident

An incident at the mall popularly known as “Old Shoprite” on 1 October 2026 has prompted questions about children’s welfare, glass safety and a ₦1,259,013 repair quotation.

Uchechukwu Ogidi is seeking explanations from Goldwise Jewelry, mall management and the Fire Service Divisional Police Station after his seven-year-old son and five-year-old daughter were allegedly held, alongside two people accompanying them, following accidental damage to a shop’s glass panel.

According to Ogidi, his son was playing during a visit to the mall when his knee struck transparent glass at Goldwise Jewelry.

What followed, the father says, turned an ordinary family outing into a frightening experience for the children.

Allegedly Prevented From Leaving

Ogidi alleges that the children and their companions were prevented from leaving the mall pending his arrival, although he was outside the state.

The group was subsequently taken to the Fire Service Divisional Police Station. According to the father, the cumulative period they were held at the mall and station exceeded five hours.

He says they did not leave the station until approximately 10 p.m.

A Hungry, Crying Boy and a Sleeping Five-Year-Old

Ogidi describes his son as hungry and crying while at the police station. His five-year-old daughter, he says, had fallen asleep and had mosquito bites on her body.

For the father, these details are central to his complaint. Beyond the dispute over damaged glass, he is questioning how two young children came to spend hours in these circumstances.

“Why were the children kept there over a repair dispute?” is the question at the heart of his account—particularly concerning his daughter, who was not alleged to have caused the damage.

The family describes the experience as distressing and traumatising.

Repair Quotation and Alternative Repairer

Ogidi clarifies that the document supplied to him represented the quoted cost of repairing the glass. He says he was given two options: pay for the proposed repair or arrange for someone else to fix it.

The document, issued by Sawab Glass & Interior Works, is labelled “Cash Sales Invoice,” numbered 197 and dated 1 October 2026. It lists:

• Glass: ₦777,513
• Two tubes of silicone: ₦5,000
• Masking tape: ₦1,500
• Installation: ₦125,000
• Transportation: ₦350,000

The total quoted cost is ₦1,259,013. The family has presented it as a quotation, not evidence of payment.

The offer to use another repairer is relevant to the repair dispute. However, it does not resolve the family’s separate concerns about the treatment of the children.

Transparent Glass and Visitor Safety

A photograph supplied by the family shows extensive cracks in a transparent glass panel, radiating from a point in its lower section.

According to Ogidi, there were no conspicuous warning signs or markings to help a young child identify the glass as a barrier. He believes his son mistook the transparent panel for an open passage.

The photograph alone cannot establish the glass specification, its condition before the collision or every safety measure present. Those matters require investigation.

The family is asking whether the panel had adequate visibility markings, whether the glass was suitable for its location, and what measures were in place to reduce accidental collisions involving children.

Insurance and Incident Handling

Ogidi also wants clarification of the shop’s and mall’s insurance arrangements and whether any relevant policy applies to the incident.

It has not been established whether insurance coverage exists. The family is asking management to explain the applicable claims process and the basis on which responsibility for the repair is being assigned.

The repair cost, responsibility for the damage and the treatment of the children each deserve a clear explanation.

A Call for Answers

The family is requesting preservation and review of relevant CCTV footage, clarification of the repair requirements, and an explanation of why the children and their companions were allegedly held until approximately 10 p.m.

They also want to know what steps were taken to meet the children’s needs while at the station and why a property-damage dispute resulted in such a prolonged experience for them.

The allegations concerning detention and the children’s treatment remain the family’s account and have not been independently verified. Responses from Goldwise Jewelry, mall management and the police are needed to establish the full circumstances.

An accidental collision involving a child calls for a proportionate response. Resolving damage to property should go hand in hand with protecting children’s welfare, dignity and safety.