Edo State Government on Monday expressed disappointment at the bullying incident at Igbinedion Education Centre where two students were seen repeatedly beating, kicking, and dragging a boy believed to be in a junior class on the floor.
The state’s Commissioner for Information, Kassim Afegbua, while featuring on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, described the case as disturbing, saying the Governor Monday Okpebholo-led administration has set up a committee to get to the root of the incident.
Top Society reports that the video that has now gone viral on social media, captured one of the attackers using a belt during the assault, while the other stomped on the victim’s chest, leaving him crying in pain.
At the incident which happened in Igbinedion Education Centre – a private secondary school in Benin City, the victimised boy could be heard screaming in pain from the beating as the student recording the video begged the bullies to stop.
Reacting on behalf of the government, Afegbua said, “It is quite disturbing when we heard it. We were just wondering what could have warranted this. It is very unacceptable; there would be no justification for that kind of treatment.
“It is a wake-up call to parents and also teachers because one would expect an educational centre like Igbinedion Centre to naturally have its own code of ethics in terms of discipline, monitoring, and internal vigilance on their students.
“But for the fact that one of them videoed that incident and sent it out, perhaps no one would have known such an incident happened.”
Afegbua assured that the law would be meted out on those responsible for the assault, as the State Police Command has been directed to get to the root of the matter.
The commissioner disclosed that the state had government moved in quickly by taking an action that led to the expulsion of the students involved.
“It is not just about the expulsion; we also directed the police to make sure that those students are properly arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law,” he said.
Afegbua emphasised that the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, has assured the state government that the parents of the affected students involved in the bullying would report to the police headquarters in Benin City.
He assured that the police commissioner is keen on prosecuting the culprits upon the conclusion of the investigation to avoid a repeat of such an incident.
