By Abasi Ita
The Edo State Police Command has asked the parents of a student of Igbinedion Education Centre in Benin City to report to the police and file a formal complaint after the student was allegedly assaulted by classmates in a viral video.
Police authorities said the move would enable them to properly identify the victim and begin a formal investigation into the incident.
The management of the private secondary school has also expelled two students accused of attacking the victim following widespread public outrage over the video.
The footage, which circulated widely on social media platform X, showed two male students physically attacking another student while a third student recorded the incident.
In the video, one of the attackers was seen dragging the victim by his school uniform and stomping on his chest while the boy cried in pain. The student filming the assault was heard pleading with the attackers to stop.
Reacting to the development, the school management in a statement on Friday described the conduct of the students as disturbing and inconsistent with the institution’s values.
The school reaffirmed its strict zero tolerance policy against bullying, intimidation, harassment, cultism and all forms of violence within the school environment.
According to the statement, the students involved in the assault had been expelled with immediate effect after an internal investigation.
“Following an immediate investigation, the students responsible have been expelled from the school with immediate effect. Such conduct will never be tolerated within our school community,” the statement said.
The school also confirmed that the incident had been reported to relevant authorities and assured that it was cooperating fully with investigators. It added that all the students involved were minors.
Management further stated that the institution was providing support to those affected and working closely with their families to ensure the matter was properly addressed.
A staff member of the school, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the parents of the students involved had approached the family of the assaulted student in an attempt to reach a settlement. The source, however, declined to reveal the identities of those involved due to the sensitivity of the case.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Edo State, Eno Ikoedem, urged the victim and his parents to formally report the incident so that the police could begin a proper investigation.
He stressed that bullying remains a criminal offence and should not be tolerated.
“No one is allowed to beat up and dehumanise another person in that manner. That is somebody’s child regardless of whatever offence he may have committed,” Ikoedem said.
Human rights activist Kola Edokpayi also condemned the incident, describing it as an example of extreme cruelty, and called on the school to enforce strict disciplinary measures to prevent similar acts in the future.