AKURE, Nigeria — A Vice Principal at a private secondary school in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has been hospitalised following a brutal assault by suspected thugs allegedly hired by the mother of a student he disciplined for attempting to cheat in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The Vice Principal, identified as Mr RMr Rtifotifa of Complete Child Development College in Aule, Akure, was attacked after confiscating an Android phone from a Senior Secondary School 3 student, Wisdom Elisa, during a WASSCE session.
A staff member of the school, who requested anonymity due to security concerns, said the student’s mother had issued multiple threats against Mr Rotifa and the school’s management after the phone was seized.
“The mother has threatened to kill him and any member of the school authority if her child is not allowed to cheat during the forthcoming mathematics examination,” the teacher said.
“The Vice Principal is currently receiving treatment at St. John and Mary Hospital, Odokoyi.”
According to the Ondo State Ministry of Education, the situation escalated further when the student’s elder brother—also a former student of the school—visited the campus to harass and threaten Mr Rotifa.
That same day, a group of young men reportedly loitered around the school premises after hours, prompting the school proprietor to advise Mr Rotifa to report the matter to the police.
The Ministry disclosed that Mr Rotifa was accompanied by two police officers in a van to search for the suspects. On their return journey, however, they were ambushed.
“The boys waylaid the police van, stopped it, brought out Mr Rotifa, and beat him up,” the ministry’s Director of Schools stated.
“He was taken to the hospital for treatment.”
The Vice Principal has since been discharged but has not returned home due to safety concerns.
In response to the incident, the Ondo State Government has pledged to take swift action and ensure the safety of all staff and students during the remainder of the WASSCE examination period.
“Arrangements are underway to protect the school community, and efforts to apprehend the culprits are ongoing,” the Ministry of Education said.
Law enforcement authorities have not yet announced any arrests related to the assault.
Meanwhile, the school community remains tense, with teachers reportedly shaken by the incident and calling for additional security measures.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is yet to comment publicly on the matter.
