Bright Onyekwuluje: Family calls petitions IG to probe death of son in a boarding school

The family of a boarding student of St Michaels Boys College, Ozubulu, Anambra State, who was said to have died as a result of negligence on the part of school management, has called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to investigate the death of their son.

The 11-year-old Junior Secondary School One (JSS1) student, Bright Onyekwuluje, was said to have fallen ill, but the school management failed to inform his parents or send him to hospital for proper medical care.

Master Onyekwuluje did not recover from the illness after he was taken to a hospital in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as he died on December 17, 2021.

A petition to the Inspector General of Police, through the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 13 Ukpo, which was written by the family’s lawyer, Barr OC Onwugbufor, and sighted by journalists, enjoined the IGP to investigate the circumstances that led to the death late Onyekeuluje, with a view to punishing persons responsible for it.

The petition reads: “It is our instruction that Bright Onyekwuluje was sick, but the school management failed to inform his parents are send him to hospital for proper treatment.

“Our client got the information that his son was sick through another student that called his mother to inform him to ask our client to come and pick up Bright, that he was sick. Our client called the school management, but was told not to bother, that the school was taking good care of the school.

“The same student the next day called out client again to say that the son may die if they failed to come as the school management was not ready to take care of their son.

“When our colleague reached the school, he saw that the health of his son had degenerated to the extent that his son could not talk, walk or eat food. Our client carried his son to a hospital in Port Harcourt where he resides. Bright Onyekwuluje did not recover from the illness as he died on 17th December 2021.

“We humbly appeal to you to use your good office to investigate the immediate and remote cause of the death of our client’s son, and bring to justice the persons in the school who contributed to the death of the boy through their actions, inactions, negligence, carelessness, recklessness, and total disregard for the life and safety of children placed under their care.”