Lagos student dies after being ‘flogged by teacher over homework’

A secondary school student in Lagos has died after he was allegedly flogged by a teacher over homework.

The deceased, identified as Emmanuel Amidu, is a JSS 2 student of Simple Faith Schools, Agbara.

The 12-year-old was said to have passed away on Friday at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

According to Punch, Akinola Amidu, his father, alleged he was flogged by a teacher in school on May 12, 2022.

He also claimed his son started vomiting shortly after the beating and was rushed to a hospital, where he died.

The distraught father, who demanded the teacher’s arrest, alleged that the school was covering up his son’s death.

He claimed the school management was protecting the accused Mathematics teacher.

“I was at home that Thursday because I was on leave. I recall that Emmanuel asked me for money to buy a new exercise book and I gave him N500 to buy the book and give the remaining change to his sister,” he said.

“Later that day, I was called by the management of the school that Emmanuel was vomiting. Meanwhile, this was a boy who left home without any health issues. I had to go to the school and we moved him to a hospital.

“I later learned that the whole thing started after their class teacher, Mr. Steven, beat the whole of his class for not completing their mathematics assignment.

“Emmanuel was actually using my phone torchlight to do his assignment a day before. I had to collect the phone from him and his sister because I needed to be in contact with the office. We had issues with electricity at home.

“It was at LUTH that I lost my son. Meanwhile, the management of the school quickly ran to the Morogbo Police Station at Agbara to report that my son died from vomiting.

“How can somebody just die from vomiting if nothing triggers it? The management of the school is trying to protect the teacher.”

Adetayo Akanji, the school principal, while speaking on the matter, was quoted as describing it as “unfortunate”.

“I was there when Emannuel died on Friday and it was unfortunate that it happened this way. Yes, Steven flogged the whole class for not doing their sums, but not with the intention to hurt them,” he said.

“Some hours after that, he (Emmanuel) placed his head on his desk and he started vomiting, after which water was poured on his head.

“When he started to vomit, the proprietor called me and we took the boy to the hospital. In fact, the father joined us when he was taken to LUTH where he and I were running around to get prescribed drugs for him.

“But before we came back, he had given up. Our school reported the matter at the Morogbo Police Station.”