How a Kogi teacher died after being attacked by a student's father for disciplining the child

• Maryam Usman died on June 25 after allegedly sustaining injuries in an assault over disciplining a pupil. 

• Police identified the main suspect as Abdullahi Ishaka, who allegedly stormed the school with two women and attacked the teacher. 

• The Kogi State Police Command has classified the case as culpable homicide and launched an investigation. 

• Police said the suspects fled before officers arrived and are being tracked for arrest and prosecution. 

A 30-year-old primary school teacher, Maryam Usman, has died after allegedly being assaulted by the father of one of her pupils following a disciplinary incident at her school in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, prompting a police investigation into what authorities have classified as a case of culpable homicide. 

The Kogi State Police Command said the incident occurred on June 18, 2026, at Brains Minds Nursery and Primary School in Ugbamaka, Okpo District, where Usman worked as a teacher. According to the police, the altercation began after she disciplined a pupil during school hours. 

In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, said preliminary investigations showed that the child's father, identified as Abdullahi Ishaka, allegedly arrived at the school with two women and confronted the teacher over the disciplinary action taken against his child.

According to Afusat, the trio allegedly assaulted Usman during the confrontation, leaving her with serious injuries. 

"The victim sustained serious injuries and was initially treated at a hospital in Ugbamaka before being referred to Iko-Ojo Hospital, Okpo, for further medical attention. She, however, passed away on June 25, 2026," Afusat said. 

The police said the case was reported to the Olamaboro Divisional Police Headquarters on the day of the teacher's death and has been classified as culpable homicide. Officers subsequently visited both the school and the deceased's residence as part of the investigation and documented the scene. 

Afusat added that arrangements were made to convey the deceased's body to General Hospital, Ankpa, for an autopsy, while the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) once the suspects were apprehended. 

The police spokesperson also disclosed that the three suspects fled before officers arrived at the scene.

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"Efforts are ongoing to apprehend them," she said, assuring the public that those responsible would be brought to justice after a thorough investigation. 

While police have limited their account to the alleged assault at the school, some reports citing family members claimed the pupil sustained an arm injury after falling during the disciplinary process, sparking the father's anger. The same reports alleged that Usman was later attacked again while on her way to a mosque. However, these additional claims have not been confirmed by the Kogi State Police Command. 

The incident has sparked outrage among Nigerians, with many expressing concern over the safety of teachers carrying out disciplinary duties in schools and calling for those responsible to be prosecuted. The police said investigations are continuing and pledged to ensure justice is served.