Tension rose in Benin City on Monday as a group of protesters gathered at the gate of Igbinedion Education Centre to express anger over a viral video showing students bullying and attacking a fellow student.
The protesters, who described themselves as Concerned Citizens, said they came to demand strict punishment for the students involved in the incident. The video, which circulated widely on social media last Friday, showed some students beating, kicking and flogging another student who appeared helpless on the ground.
Many residents said the footage was disturbing and raised serious questions about discipline and safety in schools.
On Monday morning, the protesters arrived at the school premises carrying placards with different messages condemning bullying. Some of the placards called for justice for the victim, while others demanded the expulsion of all students involved in the attack.
The demonstrators also blocked the main entrance gate of the school for some time, insisting that the management must clearly explain what action had been taken.
One of the protesters said the group was not satisfied with earlier reports that some of the students involved had been suspended.
“We want to know the position of the other students and how the school has investigated the issue,” the protester said.
“What happened at this school is not acceptable in our society and we must all rise up to condemn it.”
Security around the school was increased as the protest continued. Guards and other security personnel were stationed at the entrance to prevent the protesters from entering the school compound.
Some staff members of the school came out to speak with the protesters and explain that action had already been taken against the students identified in the video.
According to them, the school management had investigated the incident and imposed disciplinary measures on those responsible.
However, the protesters insisted that suspension was not enough and demanded that the students involved should be expelled from the school.
A senior member of the school’s management later addressed the situation and described the incident as unfortunate.
“What happened is unfortunate, but the management of the school has taken action and such an occurrence will never happen again,” the official said.
The school also released a statement earlier confirming that the students identified in the viral video had been suspended.
Despite this assurance, many protesters said they wanted more transparency about how the incident happened and what steps the school would take to prevent similar cases in the future.
The incident has sparked wider discussion about bullying in Nigerian schools. Education experts and parents say bullying has remained a serious issue in many schools, even though awareness about the problem has increased in recent years.
Bullying can involve physical attacks, verbal abuse, threats or intimidation by stronger students against weaker ones. In some cases, victims suffer emotional trauma that affects their academic performance and well-being.
Parents and child rights advocates say schools must have clear rules and strong supervision to prevent such incidents.
The viral video that triggered the protest showed two students taking turns to beat another student who was lying on the floor. The victim appeared unable to defend himself while other students were present during the incident.
Many social media users condemned the act and called on authorities to investigate the matter.
In recent years, several cases of bullying captured on video have drawn public outrage across Nigeria. Such incidents often lead to calls for stronger discipline in schools and better monitoring of student behaviour.
Some education experts say social media has played a major role in exposing such acts, as students now record incidents with their phones and share them online.
However, they also warn that many bullying incidents may still go unreported because victims are sometimes afraid to speak out.
Child protection groups have repeatedly urged schools to create safe channels through which students can report abuse without fear of punishment or retaliation.
They also stress the importance of counselling and guidance programmes that teach students about respect, empathy and peaceful ways of resolving conflicts.
Following Monday’s protest, residents around the school said they hope the incident will lead to stronger measures to protect students.
Some parents who spoke about the situation said they were worried about the safety of children in schools.
They noted that schools should not only focus on academic learning but also ensure that students are protected from violence and intimidation.
Authorities in Edo State have not yet issued an official statement about the incident as of the time this report was filed.
Meanwhile, the management of Igbinedion Education Centre said it is committed to maintaining discipline and safety within the school.
The management added that steps are being taken to ensure that such an incident does not happen again.
