When School Stops Feeling Safe
In March 2026, many Nigerians opened their phones to videos that were hard to watch. They showed older pupils beating younger ones at two private schools, Igbinedion Education Centre in Benin City and Lead British International School in Abuja. The footage spread quickly, bringing widespread anger over what had happened to children in places where they should have been safe.
Channels TV described how "two students were seen repeatedly beating, kicking, and dragging a boy believed to be in a junior class on the floor." Vanguard reported that the school confirmed the videos showed "two students bullying a fellow student with obvious physical assault and injuries to the victim." I find those accounts painful to read. The boy on that floor is somebody's son, and the pupils hurting him are children too.
The schools responded quickly once the public reacted. Igbinedion Education Centre said it has "a strict zero-tolerance policy toward bullying, cultism, intimidation, harassment, and any form of violence," and announced that "the students responsible have been EXPELLED from the school with immediate effect." Its statement added, "Our priority remains the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of every student." Lead British International School announced, "Lead British International School, Abuja, is hereby shut for three days."
The response from government was firm too. Edo State's Commissioner for Information, Kassim Afegbua, said, "It is very unacceptable; there would be no justification for that kind of treatment." He added, "We took an action that led to the expulsion of the students involved." Police urged the family to make a complaint, saying, "the boy and his parents should come forward and make a complaint so that an investigation can begin."
The federal Ministry of Education appointed "a seven-member committee to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the documented incidents" at Lead British. The committee was also asked to consider the implications for other schools, using Lead British as a case study.
I was particularly struck by a question from the Permanent Secretary. She asked whether there is "an anonymous suggestion box at the School, where students can lodge their complaints discreetly." That may sound like a small detail, but for a frightened child, walking into the principal's office and naming a bully can feel impossible. There needs to be another way to ask for help.
That is why a safe way to report bullying matters just as much as punishment. Nigeria already has a national anti-bullying policy, which the Federal Ministry of Education says "provides clear guidelines for preventing, identifying and addressing bullying." The message to pupils is straightforward: "If you see something, say something."
Schools have to make it possible for children to follow that advice. Olaniyi Jemisoye of Grimes International College told Guardian Nigeria, "We encourage the students to speak up whenever they encounter such from their peers." Anti-bullying expert Simeon Fowowe has also urged schools to focus on "fostering open communication channels." A child needs to know who will listen and feel safe enough to approach them.
Expulsions and committees have their place, but changing a school's culture takes more than that. As a woman who works around education and professional development, I keep thinking about the role of emotional intelligence. Learning to name their feelings, understand someone else's pain and say "stop" can help children avoid becoming bullies or standing quietly by while another child is hurt. Teachers and house staff also need to notice a withdrawn pupil, a sudden bruise or a quiet dormitory. Paying attention gives them a chance to step in before there is ever a video to share.
So where do schools and parents begin? Write down the anti-bullying policy and make sure every family has it. Give pupils more than one safe way to report what is happening, including anonymous ones. Train staff to listen as well as supervise, particularly those working in boarding houses. Give the victim's recovery the same serious attention as the offender's punishment. At home, talk with children about what it means to be kind and brave when nobody is watching.
March 2026 was painful for Nigeria. My hope is that every school takes these incidents seriously and does more to protect its youngest pupils. If that happens, something good can still come from it.
References
Vanguard News. "Igbinedion Education Centre confirms bullying, expel students in viral video." 14 March 2026. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/03/school-confirms-bullying-expel-students-in-viral-video/
Channels TV. "Igbinedion School Bullying: Police To Charge Erring Students' Parents To Court, Edo Govt." 16 March 2026. https://www.channelstv.com/2026/03/16/igbinedion-school-bullying-police-to-charge-erring-students-parents-to-court-edo-govt/
Federal Ministry of Education (Nigeria). "Federal Ministry of Education summons Lead British International School over allegations of bullying." https://fmino.gov.ng/federal-ministry-of-education-summons-lead-british-international-school-over-allegations-of-bullying/
Guardian Nigeria. "Tackling menace of bullying in Nigerian schools." 28 May 2026. https://guardian.ng/education/tackling-menace-of-bullying-in-nigerian-schools/
Federal Ministry of Education (Nigeria). "FG intensifies nationwide anti-bullying campaign, urges students to speak up." https://education.gov.ng/fg-intensifies-nationwide-anti-bullying-campaign-urges-students-to-speak-up-strengthens-safe-schools-initiatives/
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