Kwara suspends head of Islamic school where flogging is brutal and merciless

The Kwara State Government has suspended the head of Musbaudeen Al Islamy Arabic School, Ganmo in Ifelodun LGA, over the brutal flogging of some of its students.

A video of some of the students of the school being flogged mercilessly for partying and drinking beer, had surfaced online, sparking outrage and condemnation from social media users and celebrities.

One of the students, Abdulmumin Jibrin, had said they deserved to be punished with countless lashes of the cane.

Jibrin said: “We went for a party last Sunday and we were many. Three of us were flogged on Wednesday, while the rest were flogged on Saturday.

“As they flogged us on Wednesday, we believe we deserved the flogging as a form of discipline. We deserved it, but some of the students that were flogged went to post it on social media and I told them not to."

Kwara State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital, Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, says besides the suspension of the head of the Madrasa institution, the government has commenced an investigation.

“The government’s team carefully listened to the authorities of the Arabic school, the father of the sole girl in the video, and four other students involved in the unsavoury development,” Kawu says.

“Regardless of the explanations of the authorities on the development, the self-confessed consent of the parents and regret of the affected students, the government seriously frowns at the harsh beating seen in the footage.

“Consequently, the government has directed the setting up of an investigative committee, comprising Muslim scholars, leaders and government officials, to look into the issue while the head of the Arabic school, who admitted to directing the punishment, has been asked to step aside pending the conclusion of the investigation.

“The government has also taken the affected students to a public hospital for proper medical examination and treatment. This is to ensure that none of them suffers any physical or psychological damage,” he adds.

The Kwara government has also appealed for calm from members of the public during the investigation.