Bullying Allegations: Abuja school denies bullying claims, calls it ‘stage play’

Beautiful Beginning Academy, located in Gudu District, Abuja, has firmly denied allegations of bullying among its students.

A video that went viral on Monday sparked these allegations.

In the clip, senior students allegedly bullied a student in SS2 named Imtiyas.

Imtiyas was seen tied with a chain around his neck, and was ordered to lie on the floor in the video.

According to the Diaspora Digital Media (DDM), the principal of the school, Mr. Aaron Ikpe addressed the media on Tuesday to clarify the situation.

He stated that the incident was misinterpreted as bullying.

According to Ikpe, the students involved were participating in a playful performance.

He emphasized that the school maintains an open-door policy, encouraging students to report any concerns to the authorities.

The principal explained that the students arranged for the video to be recorded using a school-provided device.

Ikpe said other students in the hostel witnessed the performance, assuring that no bullying occurred.

He unequivocally denied any incidents of bullying at BBA, stating, ‘There was no bullying case here… Whatever you saw was fabricated.’

The principal further elaborated on the school’s culture.

He noted that students, even from nursery, freely approach the management to express concerns.

“We don’t have that kind of bureaucracy,” he said.

“If there was any bullying at all, at least one student would have heard about it and reported it to us.”

He acknowledged that the students acted innocently, even if the performance reached an unusual level.

“Interestingly, let me tell you, the students actually arranged for the tablet they used to record it,” he said.

“Tablet is typically provided for educational purposes and retrieved after learning hours,” he said

Ikpe expressed his shock at the bullying allegations raised by Imtiyas’s family.

He highlighted that Beautiful Beginning Academy has never recorded a case of bullying in its 14-year history.

“No such report was made until the sisters came on Monday to tell us there was a bullying case in the school,” he explained.

Cases of bullying in Nigerian secondary schools

Bullying and sexual abuse in Nigerian secondary schools are alarming trends.

Victims often endure trauma, and some have tragically died.

Here are some of the school that are on the list of bullying in Nigerian secondary schools:

Dowen College, Lagos

Sylvester Oromoni died on November 30, 2021, from injuries allegedly inflicted by students pressuring him to join a cult.

School officials claimed he was hurt while playing football, but his parents revealed he was assaulted in his room.

Premiere Academy, Abuja

The untimely death of Karen-Happuch Aondodoo Akpagher, a 14-year-old boarding student at Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja, sent shockwaves across Nigeria in June 2021, following allegations of sexual assault.

Karen’s mother accused the school of covering up the incident.

Despite protests for justice, no arrests have been made.

Deeper Life High School, Uyo

In December 2020, a disturbing incident involving Don Davis, an 11-year-old Junior Secondary School student at Deeper Life High School, Uyo, came to light.

Davis’ mother, Deborah Okezie, shared photographs and videos on social media.

She detailed the physical and sexual abuse her son suffered at the hands of his seniors.

Deborah as well alleged the school’s negligence in addressing his bedwetting issues.”

The story sparked outrage with protests, resulting in the principal and staff being remanded in custody.

Special School, Kuje

Allegations of sodomy, forced oral sex, and ritual abuse surfaced in 2018 against a special school for the Deaf in Kuje, Abuja.

The story involved an 11-year-old boy.

The boy communicated his traumatic experiences through sign language, detailing nocturnal gatherings where children were subjected to brutal rituals.

Despite the school’s denial, investigations yielded contradictory findings, with the police confirming the assault through medical examinations and confessions, while the Federal Ministry of Education and the school suggested potential misreporting.

Ngomari Costain School, Maiduguri

A teacher was sentenced to 10 years for defiling a six-year-old pupil.

This highlighted the pervasive issue of sexual abuse in schools.

Government Secondary School, Kwali

In August 2021, Government Secondary School Kwali, Abuja, was embroiled in a controversy surrounding the death of 13-year-old Yahaya Nuhu Aliyu, a JS 2 student.

Reports indicated that Aliyu succumbed to injuries sustained from a severe beating by his teacher for failing to complete an assignment, despite being ill.

Hassan Gwarzo Secondary School, Kano:

A student’s injuries led his mother to uncover ongoing sodomy cases.

School’s silence and prior ignored reports, hindered the investigations .

Christland School, Lagos

In a landmark judgment, Pastor Adegboyega Adenekana, a supervisor at Chrisland School, Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lagos, was sentenced to 60 years imprisonment.

He was sentenced by the Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court for defiling a 2-year-old girl and an 11-month-old pupil.

GDSS Tunga, Minna

A Vice Principal was arrested for impregnating a Junior Secondary School student in 2017.

Ganmo Arabic School, Kwara

Outrage followed a viral video of students being harshly beaten, prompting government intervention and the suspension of the head teacher.

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