(Photo for illustration purpose)

A Report came to us on Wednesday the 22nd of January 2020, concerning the brutalization of Students of Airforce Secondary School, Ikeja, at the order of the school Commandant.

It was reported that at the Assembly announcement was made concerning the bad behaviour of an SS3 student who tore his result of the previous term due to his poor performance. He was disciplined on the assembly ground with twelve strokes of the cane. Thereafter, it was the turn of students from SS2 – SS3. At this point the Commandant told the students of SS1 – SS3 to kneel so they would be flogged according to their classes. Each student from SS1 was flogged 20 strokes, SS2 – 25 strokes, SS3 – 30 strokes. The students were told to kneel on the floor and bend so they would be flogged on their buttocks. Due to the large number of students, the Soldiers lost count and began flogging the students at will, which made some students get more strokes than was allocated to their class. It was alleged that a female student fainted and instead of being rushed to the sick bay for first aid, the Commandant ordered the soldiers to keep flogging her till she regained consciousness. An SS1 student had an asthma attack and she was still flogged.

The students were left with bruises both from the flogging and the punishment of rolling on the floor. We have pictures of the brutalised buttocks of a student sent by a parent, but we do not want to show such picture here

As a result of protest by parents, and public condemnation of this act, yesterday, 29th, January, the school called for emergency PTA meeting over this issue. We were informed that at the meeting, the School Commandant apologized to the parents concerning the excessive punishment of the school and promised it will not happen again.

However, we are taking this promise with a pinch of salt as this is not the first time such case of students brutality is reported concerning the Airforce Secondary schools. We reliably gather that last year, a similar incident happened in the school in another state which involved the child of a top officer, hence a circular was sent from Abuja to all Airforce schools to desist from flogging students. Now it has happened again, aibeit in a more severe and brutal manner.

Parents were told that disciplining students in such manner is for their own interest, but we are yet to see how corporal punishment has helped in moulding better and well behaved students and citizens. Nigerian Children who are brought up through corporal punishment are not better behaved compared to children in other climes where corporal punishment is banned, rather, our own children are getting worse in terms of character and morals. The only visible result corporal punishment has brought upon our children and our society is harm, disfigurement, damaged eyes, broken heads, bones, limbs and promotion of violence in every nook and cranny. What else do you expect? Violence begets violence. A child brought up with violence both at home and school has been trained to see violence as the only effective way to deal with issues. Are you surprised that our young men and women are engaging in cult activities, killing one another, even from primary school. Are you surprised that kidnapping, armed robbery and banditory has become the order of the day? Are you surprised that couples are Killing each other in marriages today? You shouldn’t be surprised because they are the products of our home and school training. We must always reap what we sow. The only way we can build a better, peaceful and caring society is when we ban corporal punishment both in school and homes, because it has done our society more harm than good. There are alternative and non-violent ways of disciplining children.

In view of the above stated, and the fact that we do not believe in the promise of the Ikeja Airforce Secondary School Commandant that such manner of violence against Children will not happen again, CRACO shall be considering taking legal steps to address the issue of application of corporal punishment in schools and homes