Teenage student dies after brutal beating by school staff
A teenage student of Al-Azhar Academy in Zaria, Kaduna State, has died after allegedly being beaten by the Principal, Vice Principal and prefects of the school for missing classes.
The deceased, identified as Marwanu Nuhu Sambo, a JSS3 student, was reportedly given 105 strokes of cane and hit with sticks on his head and body by the school staff on Friday, 20 October 2023.
According to one of his classmates, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Sambo was paraded in front of the assembly and punished by the Principal and his Vice before being handed over to the prefects who continued the assault until he lost a tooth and went into coma.
The classmate said that instead of taking him to the hospital, the prefects dumped his body near the male toilets until the closing time, when other teachers discovered that he was dead.
The school management then rushed him to a private hospital in a bid to cover up the incident, but the doctor confirmed that he was already dead before arrival and that he had sustained several injuries from the beating.
The parents of the deceased were not informed by the school until they heard rumours that their son was beaten to death. They went to the hospital and demanded justice for their child.
However, no security agency has intervened or arrested anyone in connection with the incident. The school authority has also remained silent as if nothing happened.
The incident has sparked outrage and grief among the residents of Kofar Gayan area, where Sambo lived. They have called on the Government of Kaduna State, Nigerian Police Force, National Human Right Commission and other relevant security agencies to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book.
They also urged the government to ensure that such barbaric acts are not repeated in any school and that teachers who abuse their power are punished accordingly.
