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Zaria Nuhu Sambo, a 19-year-old student of Al-Azhar Academy, Kofar Gayan Zaria, Marwanu, has been killed under controversial circumstances.
The student, who was in JSS 3, was reported to have lost his life as a result of severe beating and corporal punishment by the teachers.
It was gathered that Sambo was paraded in front of the school’s assembly for missing classes. He was also said to have been subjected to merciless punishments including more than 100 strokes of the cane.
At the assembly, the principal ordered that Marwanu should be given 105 strokes of the cane. Thereafter, they took him to the office, removed his clothes and trousers and continued beating him with sticks on the head and back and his body.
“The Principal later handed him over to the school prefects who continued beating him with sticks until one of his teeth fell off. It was at that point that the deceased went into coma.
But instead of rushing him to the hospital, the prefects brought him out and dumped his body in the school premises near the male toilets until closing time.
“Cries from other students in the school who watched in trepidation reportedly attracted other teachers who rushed to the scene where they found that the boy had given up the ghost.”
Another source said the student was rushed to a private hospital in Zaria, but was confirmed dead by the hospital.
In a statement it issued on the sad incident, the school’s management said the punishment meted out to the deceased pupil was not part of the school’s policy, adding that the officers who imposed “the irresponsible punishment did it without consultation.”
Police Command has however confirmed the arrest of the Principal and Vice Principal of Al-Azhar School in Zaria, Kaduna State for their alleged involvement in corporal punishment, which resulted in the death of a student of the school.
Marwanu Nuhu Sambo, a JSS 3 pupil, was allegedly brutally beaten by the Principal, the Vice Principal and some prefects of Al-Azhar Academy for absenting himself in school.
Confirming the incident, the Kaduna state police command, ASP Mansir Hassan, said two suspects have so far been arrested.
“The Commissioner of police in Kaduna State has already directed for thorough Investigation into the matter and we will charge the suspects to court immediately after Investigation,” he said.
Rukayya Sambo, a sister to the deceased, revealed that her late brother was asked to repeat his class after promotional examination which he declined and stopped going to school.
“He was then taken to the school by one of his uncles and handed him over to the school principal who vowed to punished him for abscondement.
It was after the uncle left the school that the teachers beat Marwanu seriously to the extent they broke his teeth and later killed him.”
“According to his school mates, Marwanu was lashed on the school assembly where his teeth were broken.
He was later on taken to the principal where he was striped naked and beaten till he could no longer breath.
“In fact, he attempted to run away but the school prefects were asked to apprehend him and he was taken to the principal’s office,” she explained.
Rukayya Sambo further stated that her brother’s corpse was abandoned near the school toilet and he was later rushed to a nearby hospital to get the confirmation of his death.
Isa Sa’idu, an uncle to the deceased, said the incident happened on Friday at about 9am but up till evening hours, the parents or relations of the late student were not informed.
“We only heard rumour that our son was dead and had been taken to a nearby hospital so we rushed to confirm.
We met the medical officer that attended to the boy and he told us that the student was brought to the hospital dead. (BiD).”
In a letter issued by the management and circulated on social media, the school said, “The Management of Al Azhar academy school Zaria mourn the sad incident that occurred in the school which led to the death of its student Marwan Nuhu Sambo of JSS3 as a result of punishment from absenteeism from the school.
“The management is deeply saddened by this heavy incident that led to the death of its student and pray Almighty Allah to forgive the shortcoming of the deceased.
“Further the officers that committed this act were suspended from the school forthwith and handed over to the Nigerian police for investigation and further action.”
