The Ogun State Government has suspended two school principals over their roles in a recent tragic incident at Ilugun High School, Elega, which led to the death of a young individual during a student protest.
The suspended officials are Mrs. Olukoga Adeyemi Alaba, Principal of the Junior School, and Mrs. Ladipo Olabisi Temitope, Principal of the Senior School. Their suspension follows a viral video showing students vandalising school property in protest over the collection of illegal fees.
According to the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Abayomi Arigbabu, the incident started as a protest by students against the illegal fees being charged by school authorities. The protest, which occurred on Tuesday, escalated into chaos when security personnel were called in to restore order. In the process, a student reportedly lost his life.
Professor Arigbabu confirmed the unfortunate event while addressing the media. He stated that the preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased was not listed in the state’s official student database, raising serious concerns about his status.
“The young man who lost his life could not be confirmed as a bona fide student of the school,” he said. “He was identified by three different names — Babalola Ayornide, Salako Jimoh, and Afolabi Babalola — but none of these names appeared in our official education database, the OGSERA platform, which records all legitimate school enrolments.”
The commissioner added that this suggests the possibility of illegal admission practices or identity manipulation, which is being thoroughly investigated.
In response to the illegal fee collection and the unclear identity of the deceased, the Ogun State Government decided to suspend both principals indefinitely while investigations continue into the immediate and remote causes of the incident.
“We discovered that the Principal of Ilugun High School (Junior) had been involved in the collection of illegal fees,” Arigbabu stated. “This action sparked the students’ protest, which unfortunately turned violent.”
The commissioner expressed deep condolences to the family of the deceased, acknowledging the pain they are going through and promising that the government would ensure justice is served.
To prevent similar incidents in the future, the state government has launched a “Whistle Blower” scheme under the Teaching Service Commission. The initiative is designed to allow students and staff to report illegal practices, misconduct, and administrative failures in schools anonymously.
Arigbabu also appealed to students to channel their grievances through peaceful and lawful means rather than destroying school facilities.
“While we share in your grief, please do not vent your anger by damaging school property. Destroying what little infrastructure we have will only worsen the challenges,” he said.
He reassured parents, students, and the general public that the state government would act transparently and punish anyone found responsible.
“The investigation is ongoing. We ask everyone to remain calm. The government will not shield anyone involved in wrongdoing. Justice will be done,” he added.
Professor Arigbabu reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to free and accessible education for every child in Ogun State, regardless of background or social status.
“The Abiodun-led government is committed to providing free, quality education to all school-age children in the state — no matter where they live, their religion, gender, or financial situation,” he concluded.
