Principal reinstated after alleged brutality against pupil

The principal of Eva Adelaja Girls Secondary School, Mrs. C.O. Coker, and four other teachers, have reportedly returned to their duties after investigations into the brutality against a pupil named Ogechi Anyalewechi.

Anyalewechi reportedly slapped a school prefect named Zainab after the latter had abused her.

Due to this, the school principal and four teachers flogged her severely leading to injuries that caused her to be reportedly admitted to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

As a response to the allegation, the Lagos State Government gave an order of suspension of the principal and the teachers for their roles in the incident.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) conducted an investigation into the matter, and by the end of it, the affected teachers were asked to return to their offices.

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According to a source, “The principal of the school has been recalled to the school, as well as all the affected teachers.

"Immediately the state government ordered their suspension, the case was reported to the NUT. The union then wrote the government, asking that the decision be rescinded."

“The NUT kicked against the suspension and advised that they should be returned to the school. They have been asked to go back, and that was just few days after the suspension. "

"There is no way the pupil can stay in the school with what has happened.”

Segun Raheem, the chairman of the NUT said, “When we heard of the case, we swung into action. We went to the school and the education district to have firsthand information of what actually transpired.

“Immediately the incident happened, what the district did was to ask all of them to stop working and start reporting to the district. We felt the decision was wrong. How can you just take action against people without hearing from them or issuing queries?

“The district said a committee was set up by the Ministry of Youths and Sports, and we said it was wrong because the workers were under the Ministry of Education.”

He mentioned that they took the investigation further to the school, where pictures of the affected pupil was taken.

It was from the evidence found that they determined that the injuries were invented.

Raheem said, “We went to the school and took a real life photograph of the girl and there were signs of strokes of cane on her back because she’s fair. Any fair-complexioned person, even if you hold the person, there will be marks. And that was exactly what we felt.

“The marks were fabricated. It is the work of an expert. The claim that the girl was sick or taken to the hospital are all lies. They are the handiwork of a non-governmental organisation that wants to be relevant. The case was exaggerated out of proportion.”

More conflicting stories also emerged as the Lagos state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, revealed that the principal and teachers are not yet in the school.

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