Grief has enveloped a family in Akwa Ibom State following the death of a 12-year-old student of Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene, Ufokobong Edwin Godwin, with relatives alleging that bullying by a senior student led to the tragedy.
Ufokobong, a Junior Secondary School student, died on Easter Sunday, April 5, days after he was reportedly assaulted in the school hostel by a Senior Secondary School 3 student.
According to accounts shared by the family and other students, the incident occurred during the examination period before the Easter holiday.
A student who reportedly lived in the same hostel as the deceased alleged that the senior student demanded provisions from Ufokobong, but the boy declined, insisting he did not have enough to share.
The senior was said to have reacted by striking him on the neck, after which he reportedly became unconscious.
Sources said the incident prompted other students to raise the alarm, leading to the intervention of the hostel supervisor, often referred to as the compound master.
The boy was subsequently rushed to a hospital, where he regained consciousness and was later returned to school.
However, the family claimed they were not informed of the incident before the school vacated for the holidays.
It was gathered that Ufokobong began to complain of severe neck pain after he returned home. His parents initially administered pain relief medication, believing it to be a minor issue.
His condition reportedly deteriorated, prompting his father to take him back to the hospital, where he later died.
A source familiar with the case alleged that medical findings indicated complications linked to blood clots around the neck area.
Videos circulating online show the boy’s mother weeping and accusing the senior student of causing her son’s death, while other clips captured emotional scenes as family members mourned during the burial.
When contacted, the father of the deceased declined to comment, saying he was still grieving.
“Sorry, I’m not in a position to make any comment now. I’m still in pains,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities of the school had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
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