Olayiwola Matthew
The Edo State Police Command on Saturday said all the suspects involved in the bullying at the Igbinedion Education Centre had been arrested.
Videos that went viral from the school showed some students being beaten, flogged and kicked by supposed senior students.
The state command, in a statement by its spokesman, Eno Ikoedem, said the arrests were made after investigation, and the suspects would be charged in the family court in accordance with laws guiding juvenile justice and child protection.
The statement read, “The Edo State Police Command wishes to update the general public on the viral bullying incident which has generated widespread concern and public reactions across the state.
“Following a thorough and painstaking investigation, the Command confirms that all individuals directly connected to the incident have been identified, while those implicated have been apprehended and are being charged in the family court in accordance with extant laws guiding juvenile justice and child protection.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the incident originated on Thursday, 5/03/2026, when two female students, whose names have been withheld, both aged 14, disagreed with a fellow student. During the altercation, the student reportedly uttered offensive words directed at their late father, specifically saying, ‘Ogun kill your papa.’
“Angered by the remark, the girls allegedly attacked the student after school hours. In the course of the assault, a parent, who had come to pick up her son, intervened, but the two girls, still enraged, turned on the woman, physically confronting her and dragging her clothes. The school management subsequently intervened and expelled the girls for engaging in violent conduct.
“On the following day (06/03/2026), a retaliatory incident occurred. The male student, whose mother was earlier assaulted, attacked the victim in the viral video in what has been identified as a revenge assault, which was recorded and posted by one of the students. The victim is the brother of the girls who assaulted his mother.
“The Commissioner of Police has ordered the immediate deployment and intensification of the Operation Safe Schools Initiative across secondary schools in Edo State, with a mandate to identify the gap in supervision and leverage lessons learnt in this matter, to prevent a recurrence.
“Additionally, the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices has been mobilised to engage students and school administrators through advocacy, sensitisation, and reorientation programmes.
“The Command, therefore, urges parents, guardians, and school authorities to take greater responsibility in the moral upbringing and supervision of their children and wards, while advising students to shun violence and report grievances through appropriate channels.
“While appealing to members of the public to remain calm, the command assures that proactive steps were being taken to ensure that justice is not only served but that measures are also emplaced to prevent a recurrence.”
The command stated that it remained committed to maintaining law and order and safeguarding all residents, especially children.
The Edo State Ministry of Education, through the permanent secretary, Edith Ebomoyi, condemned the violent act.
Ebomoyi, in a statement, said such behaviour was completely unacceptable and ran contrary to the values of discipline, respect, and safety, which all educational institutions in Edo State were expected to uphold.
