Video: Kwara govt suspends head of Arabic school where students were brutalized

The Kwara State Government has ordered the suspension of the head of the Islamic school where some students were mercilessly flogged for attending a birthday party.

The video of the punishment meted out to the students has created outrage among Nigerians who believed it was too heavy-handed.

The video showed each of the students kneeling down and surrounded by hefty men with canes.

The men, believed to be teachers or senior students of the school flogged the students brutally, changing the canes the moment they became scattered.

The students courted trouble when they attended a birthday party of their friend and posted it on their social media handles.

The head of the Arabic school was said to have seen it and concluded that they drank alcohol. This was said to be erroneous as the students were said to have actually drunk yoghurt.

Many people believed that even if the students drank alcohol, the punishment was too harsh.

A Kwara State Government’s delegation has now visited the Arabic school.

The team comprised the Hon. Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu; Special Assistant to the Governor on Religion (Islam) Alhaji Danmaigoro; Dr Saudat AbduBaqi of the University of Ilorin; Mallam Lawal Olohungbebe of Kwara State University; and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Rafiu Ajakaye.

The team was joined by the Divisional Police Officer Ganmo SP Oko Nkama; and a representative of the NSCDC DSC Parati AbdulHameed.

A statement signed by Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu said the government’s team carefully listened to the authorities of the Arabic school, the father of the sole girl in the video, and four other students involved in the unsavoury development.

“Regardless of the explanations of the authorities on the development, the consent of the parents and regret of the affected students, the government seriously frowns at the harsh beating seen in the footage.

“Consequently, the government has directed the setting up of an investigative committee, comprising Muslim scholars, leaders and government officials, to look into the issue while the head of the Arabic school, who admitted to directing the punishment, has been asked to step aside pending the conclusion of the investigation.

“The government has also taken the affected students to a public hospital for proper medical examination and treatment. This is to ensure that none of them suffers any physical or psychological damage.

“The government appeals for calm while the committee does it works and submits a report for further action.

“The government commends the Ganmo Muslim community for the support given to the team,” she said.

The video is painful to watch: