Outrage in Kwara over flogging of Arabic students for attending night party

The Kwara State Government on Sunday suspended the head of a Madrasah, Misbaudeen Al-Islamiy Arabic School, Ganmo for permitting the flogging of some students for attending a night party.

The issue had caused serious concerns in the state after a video showing one of the female students being flogged by five students on the orders of the school head went viral.

Many residents have expressed shock over the development.

Following the development, the school uploaded another video to explain its position on the matter.

In the new video, an official of the school believed to be the principal was seen addressing students during assembly.

“We have been inundated with several calls after the first video where the female student was being punished went viral. It was the parents of the affected students who called our attention to the issue.

“And what we saw was appalling as they were seen bathing with alcohol and having a swell time during a night party to celebrate the birthday of one of them, among other actions that go against the purpose of why they were here.

“They were five in number and their parents approved the punishments that were meted out to them by the school,” the official said.

Efforts to ascertain the name of the affected principal was not successful.

But reacting to the issue on Sunday, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, directed the setting up of an investigative committee, comprising Muslim scholars, leaders and government officials to look into the issue.

She also approved the suspension of the “head of the Arabic school, who admitted to directing the punishment, pending the conclusion of the investigation.

“The government’s team carefully listened to the authorities of the Arabic school, the father of the sole girl in the video and four other students involved in the unsavoury development.

“Regardless of the explanations of the authorities on the development, the self-confessed consent of the parents and regret of the affected students, the government seriously frowns at the harsh beating seen in the footage,” the commissioner noted.

She added, “The government has also taken the affected students to a public hospital for proper medical examination and treatment. This is to ensure that none of them suffers any physical or psychological damage.”

She, however, said that the government appealed for calm while the committee does its works, commending the Ganmo Muslim community for the support given to the team.

The government’s team was joined by the Divisional Police Officer Ganmo, SP Oko Nkama; and a representative of the NSCDC, DSC Parati AbdulHameed.

(Daily Trust)