After the Videos: What Nigerian Schools Are Now Being Asked to Change

In March 2026, Nigeria watched videos of children beating other children at two private boarding schools, Igbinedion Education Centre in Benin City and Lead British International School in Abuja. Older boarders were hurting younger ones while other pupils stood by or filmed what was happening. The footage spread quickly, and the anger across the country was understandable.

I wrote recently about how shocking those videos were. I want to look now at what has happened since. Public anger does not last forever, and I am interested in what schools put in place once the cameras have moved on.

From expulsions to the family court

The first steps were disciplinary ones. Igbinedion expelled pupils, and Lead British closed temporarily. Edo State then called for arrests. By 21 March, the police had confirmed what would happen next. Channels TV reported the police spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, saying "the command confirms that all individuals directly connected to the incident have been identified," and that those implicated "have been apprehended and are being charged to the family court."

They also said the young people would be dealt with "in accordance with laws guiding juvenile justice and child protection." These are minors, and protecting the children who were bullied does not remove our responsibility towards the children who hurt them. I was particularly struck by another part of the report. The Commissioner of Police ordered the "immediate deployment and intensification of the Operation Safe Schools initiative," and said the aim was to "identify the gap in supervision and leverage lessons learnt."

Finding those gaps is how a school moves from punishing an incident to trying to prevent the next one.

A problem bigger than two schools

It would be reassuring to think this concerned only two schools and a few pupils. The accounts from people working in Nigerian schools suggest otherwise. In a Leadership report published a week after the videos spread, psychologist Adams Ikepere described bullying in the country's schools as something that "is now bold, brutal, and breaking young lives in real time." Isaac Moji, an Abuja secondary school teacher, said, "There are cases almost daily in many schools."

The parents in that report sounded tired of being kept in the dark. One mother, Theresa Christopher, said of her children, "I will withdraw them because, most times, schools do not tell us what really happens behind the scenes." Another parent, Patrick Ochalla, said: "This is not a series of isolated events; it is a national emergency hiding in plain sight."

Adeyemi Samson Ajasa of the National Association of Nigerian Students made a point I would want every school leader to consider. He observed that "Most schools do not operate a centralised or standardised disciplinary system backed by the government." He added, "It is not just about having rules; it is about putting people of integrity in charge."

A child needs more than rules on a noticeboard. They need to know that a trustworthy adult will act on them.

What the numbers say

A month after the videos, International Alert Nigeria brought government agencies, researchers and educators together in Abuja for a consultative dialogue on bullying. The figures shared there were difficult to hear. Dr Margaret Ebubedike of the Open University told the gathering, "Nigeria's situation appears even more severe. More than half of secondary school students report experiencing bullying." She also stressed the need for everyone to take responsibility: "Tackling bullying requires a collective response involving parents, educators, policymakers, and communities."

The other speakers were concerned about the harm beyond the classroom. The Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, said bullying "is not merely a behavioural issue but a violation of human rights," according to Daily Trust. The head of the Civil Defence Corps warned that "If left unaddressed, it can escalate into broader security challenges." A representative of the drug enforcement agency described what safer schools can make possible: "Safer schools foster healthier minds, stronger values, and more resilient communities."

Policies, committees and the hard part

Nigeria already has a National Policy on Anti-Bullying in Schools. At the dialogue, Augustina Apakasa, the Federal Ministry of Education's representative, confirmed that "A dedicated committee has also been inaugurated to ensure effective rollout across schools nationwide." The Ministry of Youth Development's message, delivered on behalf of its Permanent Secretary, is the one that stayed with me. It urged everyone to "move beyond rhetoric—to strengthen reporting systems, enforce accountability, and foster empathy."

Reporting systems, accountability and empathy would be my priorities too if I were planning an anti-bullying programme for a boarding school. I would put them in that same order.

Child protection advocates have been asking for much the same thing. Writing about the Igbinedion case, S.A.F.E For Children pointed to "the responsibility of schools to provide a secure environment where learners are protected from violence and abuse," and warned of "possible gaps in supervision and safeguarding systems designed to protect children from harm." The practical steps they called for were "improved supervision, access to counselling services, and the creation of safe reporting channels for students."

What a real reporting system looks like

My years around international schools have taught me that a reporting system has to be part of everyday school life. A suggestion box with a padlock cannot do that on its own. Children should know at least two adults they can go to, including at least one who does not live in their boarding house. There should be an anonymous route, on paper or online, and someone should read it every day. Every report should be logged, and the person who logs it should get a response. Parents need to be told what has happened, even when it is uncomfortable for the school. At night, trained adults should supervise the youngest boarders, rather than leaving that responsibility to the oldest boarders.

None of this needs a new law. It needs a head of school who will put a child's safety ahead of the school's reputation, and governors who will stand behind that decision when a powerful parent objects.

Where this leaves parents

If your child boards in Nigeria, or anywhere else, you are entitled to ask direct questions. Is there a written anti-bullying policy, and can I have a copy? How can my child report a problem without everyone in the dormitory hearing about it? Who looks after the junior boarders once the lights are out? What happened after the last report, and what support did the child who was hurt receive?

If the answers are vague, keep asking. The March 2026 videos are a painful reminder of why those questions matter.

I hope the arrests, committees and dialogues lead to changes that last long after the public anger has faded. Nigeria's children deserve to feel safe at school and to be able to get on with learning.

References

Channels Television. "Igbinedion School Students Accused Of Bullying Arrested, To Be Charged To Juvenile Court." 21 March 2026. https://www.channelstv.com/2026/03/21/igbinedion-school-students-accused-of-bullying-arrested-to-be-charged-to-juvenile-court/

Tyohemba, Henry. "Nigeria: Terror in Classrooms - Inside Nigeria's School Bullying Menace." Leadership (Abuja), via AllAfrica, 22 March 2026. https://allafrica.com/stories/202603230539.html

S.A.F.E For Children Info Bank. "Child Rights and Protection Laws Put to the Test as Igbinedion School Students Are Arrested over Alleged Bullying Following an Edo State Government Order." 23 March 2026. https://childreninfobank.com/igbinedion-bullying-child-protection-safeguarding-court-case/

Daily Trust. "Stakeholders call for stronger action against bullying in Nigerian schools." 16 April 2026. https://dailytrust.com/stakeholders-call-for-stronger-action-against-bullying-in-nigerian-schools/

Ukuedojor, Magdalene. "Early Intervention, Stronger Enforcement Critical To Curbing Bullying In Schools." News Agency of Nigeria, 18 April 2026. https://nannews.ng/early-intervention-stronger-enforcement-critical-to-curbing-bullying-in-schools-stakeholders/