The government of Edo State has directed security agencies to arrest and prosecute students involved in a widely circulated bullying incident at Igbinedion Secondary School, stressing that such behaviour will not be tolerated.
The issue came to public attention on Friday after a disturbing video surfaced online showing two students assaulting a classmate who was lying helpless on the ground.
In the clip, one of the alleged attackers could be seen dragging the victim by his school suit and stepping on his chest while the boy cried out in pain. Another student, believed to be filming the incident, was heard begging the attackers to stop.
The footage triggered widespread outrage on social media, prompting the school authorities to expel the students involved.
Speaking on Monday during an interview on Sunrise Daily, a programme on Channels Television, the state commissioner for information, Kassim Afegbua, confirmed that the students would face legal consequences.
“Three students were involved. And the commissioner of police said the parents and the culprits are expected to come and they would definitely face prosecution,” Afegbua said.
“Even though they are minors, there are juvenile correctional centres where they can be kept if the courts decide on a pronouncement regarding prosecution.”
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Afegbua described the situation as troubling and emphasised the shared responsibility of parents and educators in monitoring students’ behaviour.
“This is a boarding school, so students are under the supervision of their teachers while parents are away,” he said.
“But when they return home, how do we find out what they are doing? This boy could have just passed on from the level of physical assault, and we may not have known if videos were not shown. It could have just been another unreported incident.”
He added that the administration of Monday Okpebholo has taken the matter seriously and instructed the state police commissioner to press charges against the students and investigate the overall conduct within the Igbinedion Education Centre.
“Imagine how painful it would be if your child went to school and the next thing you hear is that they passed away, not by their own fault, but because of unholy conduct by seniors or classmates. We are frowning very strongly about this,” he said.
“People are coming forward with additional information about similar incidents we were not previously aware of. These kinds of things are recurring, which means there is more to it than meets the eye.”
Afegbua also disclosed that the state government has set up a five-member investigative committee to examine the case. The panel has begun gathering evidence and statements from witnesses, including individuals who may choose to speak anonymously.
“We will gather all relevant information and evaluate it based on what is expected of an institution,” Afegbua added.