The police in Kaduna State have apprehended the Principal and Vice Principal of Al-Azhar School in Zaria, following their alleged involvement in the corporal punishment that resulted in the death of Marwanu Nuhu Sambo, a JSS3 student, on October 21. The student was subjected to a brutal beating by the Principal, Vice Principal, and prefects of Al-Azhar Academy due to his absenteeism from school.
Upon receiving inquiries regarding the school management’s claim that the individuals responsible have been arrested, the Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the incident and stated that two suspects have been apprehended. The Commissioner of Police has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the matter to determine its root cause.
Reports indicate that Sambo was publicly humiliated and subjected to severe punishment, including over a hundred cane strokes. The Principal then handed the student over to the school prefects, who continued to physically assault him with sticks until he fell into a coma. Rather than seeking immediate medical attention, the prefects left his body near the male toilets until the end of the school day. The cries of fellow students witnessing this horrifying incident alerted other teachers, who discovered that the student had tragically passed away.
The school management, in a released statement, emphasized that such punishment is not part of its policy and acknowledged that the officers responsible had acted without consultation. Expressing deep sadness over the incident, the school offers prayers for the deceased and extends condolences to the family. The officers involved have been suspended from the school and handed over to the Nigerian Police Force for further investigation and appropriate action. As a result, the school has temporarily suspended academic activities until further notice.
