Angry protesters under the banner of Concerned Citizens on Monday stormed Igbinedion Education Centre in Benin City to condemn a viral bullying incident involving students of the institution.
The protest followed the circulation of disturbing videos online showing a student being beaten, flogged, and kicked by suspected senior students within the school premises.
Security was significantly reinforced around the school, preventing demonstrators from gaining access. Personnel of the Department of State Services were stationed at the entrance, screening visitors before granting entry into the compound.
The protesters demanded the expulsion of all students identified in the viral footage and called for transparency in the school’s handling of the matter.
One of the demonstrators said the group wanted clarity on the status of those involved and the outcome of the school’s investigation.
“What happened in this school is unacceptable in our society and we must all rise to condemn it,” the protester said.
The demonstrators carried placards with various inscriptions and temporarily blocked the school’s gate while voicing their grievances.
Some members of staff were seen engaging the protesters in a bid to calm tensions, explaining that the students implicated in the incident had already been suspended.
A senior management official of the school, who spoke anonymously, described the incident as regrettable and assured that decisive steps had been taken to address it.
“What happened is unfortunate, but the management has acted, and such an incident will not be allowed to recur,” the official said.
Earlier, the Edo State Ministry of Education had condemned the act, describing it as contrary to the values of discipline, respect, and safety expected in schools across the state.
A statement issued by Permanent Secretary Edith Ebomoyi reiterated the government’s stance against all forms of violence in schools, following the emergence of the video which showed two students brutally assaulting another who lay helpless on the ground.
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