Kaduna Govt Shuts Down Zaria School Over Student’s Death, Begins Probe
The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQAA) has closed down the Al-azhar Academy, Zaria, over alleged beating of a student to death.
It was reported that a Junior Secondary School (JSS) 3 student, Marwan Sambo, 19, died after severe beating and corporal punishment by the Principal, Vice Principal of the school for missing classes.
A statement issued by the Director General (DG) of the KSSQAA, Dr Usman Abubakar on Sunday, stated that it had launched a fact-finding mission over the student’s death.
He said their visit to Zaria was to assemble the sequence of events that transpired from the Al-Azhar Academy, where the incident happened, to the victim’s home, to offer condolences and engage with the bereaved family and some school mates of the victim.
Abubakar added that the KSSQAA team visited the Divisional Police Headquarters, Zaria City, where the school principal and the Vice-Principal were being detained.
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“The fact-finding team then moved to Hajiya Gambo Sawaba General Hospital, Zaria, where the victim was formally confirmed dead.
“Finally, KSSQAA team visited the graveyard where the victim was said to had been put to rest, and a fresh-looking grave was observed,” he said.
He noted that the State Government, under the leadership of Governor Uba Sani, is resolved to ensure conducive learning environment, equity and justice in schools in the state.
Abubakar urged members of the general public to remain calm and law abiding while investigation continued for justice to be served accordingly.
“In the interim, guided by the provisions of its Establishment Act (amended 2015), the KSSQAA has closed down Al-Azhar Academy, Zaria and the school premises remain sealed pending the outcomes of the investigation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Police Command in Kaduna State, had on Saturday, arrested and detained the principal and the vice principal.
The acting Police Public Relations Officer Kaduna, ASP Mansur Hassan, told newsmen in Zaria, that the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter, adding that more people would be arrested in connection with the death of the student.