Following controversy that trailed the suspension of a 10-year-old student at Chrisland Schools, the Lagos State Government has shut down the schools indefinitely.
The student was alleged to have engaged in a sexual conduct with other students during a trip abroad.
According to Nigerian music executive, Ubi Franklin in a tweet on Sunday, the girl was raped by her fellow students, videotaped and the recording shared on Instagram.
Franklin, who however did not name the affected school, stated that the school covered up the incident for a month until the victim’s parents found out on their own.
“Just got off the phone with a friend of mine. His 10-year-old daughter was selected to represent her school at the World School Games in Dubai. His daughter was raped by fellow students, videotaped and posted on Instagram and the school concealed it for a month.
“He found out on his own when another parent called his wife and showed his wife the video of his 10-year-old daughter being circulated on Instagram.
“I have spent the last 1 hour listening to confessional statements by some teachers and I am begging this should rather be a dream,” Ubi Franklin tweeted.
In an update. Ubi Franklin noted that the school has since suspended the girl.
“This school took the girl from her parents that they wanted to conduct a Covid test and the school rather took the girl for a pregnancy test.
“As we speak the girl has been SUSPENDED from the school. Some things don’t make sense at all.”
However, Chrisland School authorities in a letter dated April 14, 2022, to the girl’s parent said she was the ringleader of the truth-or-dare game held in Dubai.
“In line with our core values centred on discipline, Chrisland Schools have zero tolerance for any improper behaviour and misconduct,” the school said in a letter signed by its principal, Georgia Azike.
The school disclosed that other schoolmates who took part in the game had been suspended, adding that the girl and her parents did not cooperate during its investigation.
“Consequently, [name redacted) is hereby placed on indefinite suspension until you as the parents ensure that she is punished, adequately counselled and rehabilitated,” the school said.
However, the state government said the closure of the schools across Lagos was to allow proper investigation on the allegations brought against the student and her colleagues as well as other circumstances surrounding the sexual conduct act perpetrated during the excursion government disclosed that it has deployed different agencies to investigate the allegations and that the Lagos Police Command has been informed of the alleged criminal acts around the case rocking the learning institution.
Some of the agencies whose officials already deployed and investigating the case were Ministry of Education, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Ministry of Justice and the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency.
In a statement released and made available to newsmen on Monday, the government promised to ensure that the affected student was given adequate medical and pscyho social support to help in regaining her status in the society.
It further reassured Lagosians of its commitment in protecting children’s right and safety and that anyone found guilty of breaching them would appropriately face the law.
According to the statement, “This is to reassure members of the public of the State Government’s commitment to safety and child protection, especially in ensuring that all child-centered institutions within the state, formulate and implement policies and systems that are compliant with the Executive Order (NO.EO/AA08 of 2016), Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Program.
“We also use this medium to remind the general public that any person who engages in any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a child, commits an offence and is liable to custodial sentence of fourteen (14) years. This includes “producing, distributing, receiving, or possessing an image of child pornography
Meanwhile, The attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to an alleged rape video purportedly depicting students of Chrisland School Lagos, going viral on social media.
The Command has commenced investigations into the matter with a view to establishing the identities of the players in the video, the true incident in the video, the geographical location of the incident, the alleged threat to life against a student of the school and circumstances surrounding the alleged repeated pregnancy tests conducted on a student without parental consent.
The Command is equally taking cognizance of the cybercrime angle to the whole episode and would not hesitate to enlist the support of the Interpol should the need arise. For a holistic and unbiased investigation, the Command shall be working with relevant ministries, departments, agencies and non-governmental organisations.
MMeanwhile, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi, fdc, mnim, psc has assured that due diligence will be observed to ensure that there is no miscarriage of justice.
