Matilda Omonaiye/
Revealing pictures of torture marks on the buttocks of one of the female students flogged by soldiers at the Air Force Secondary School (AFSS), Ikeja in Lagos, have been obtained by NewsmakersNG.
Protesting parents told NewsmakersNG that their sons and daughters were thrashed to within an inch of their lives on the orders of the Commandant of the school, Group Captain Babatunde Oguntunde, on January 22, 2020.
They specifically complained about their daughters who were given up to 30 strokes on their buttocks, when the Commandant reportedly unleashed soldiers on them over alleged indiscipline.
Here’s the situation report sent to NewsmakersNG by one of the parents who will not be mentioned now: “On Wednesday the 22nd of January 2020, during the assembly at Air Force Secondary School (AFSS), Ikeja, the bad behaviour of an SS3 student who tore his result of the previous term due to the poor performance was announced. He was disciplined on the assembly with 12 strokes of the cane. After that, the students from SS2 – SS3 were also accused of indiscipline.
“It was at this point that the Commandant, Group Captain Babatunde Oguntunde, told the students of SS1 – SS3 to kneel so they would be flogged according to their classes. SS1 flogged 20 strokes, SS2 was flogged 25 strokes, and SS3 was flogged 30 strokes. The students were told to kneel on the floor and bend so they would be flogged on their buttocks. Due to a 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.
“A female student fainted and instead of being rushed to the sickbay 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 parent further told NewsmakersNG that the students were left with bruises both from the flogging and the Corporal punishment of rolling on the floor.
When contacted, Air Force authorities in Lagos told NewsmakersNG that a committee has been set up to investigate the incident and report back.
The parents expressed fears that corporal punishment can cause serious damage to internal organs and muscles, nerve damage, psychological trauma, and even death as it happened to a sick student who was reportedly flogged to death at a school in Jos and another at Government Day Secondary School Sankalawa in Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State recently.
Officers who allegedly participated in the activity were identified as: Admin Officer – Flt Lt Okpara, Corporal Ugege, MWO Nuagbe, Flying Officer Ochada, Corporal Atabo, Corporal Salami, FS Musa, Sgt. Chukwuma, and MWO Abelish.
The Child’s Rights Awareness Creation Organisation (CRACO), in Lagos, has shown interest in the matter and the involvement of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) is being sought to properly address the issue.
Nigeria is one of the countries listed by International Organizations where flogging is still legally practised.
Torture is prohibited under international law, and it’s a serious violation of human rights, which has been declared to be unacceptable (but not illegal) by Article 5 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights which says “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
Nigeria is one of the member nations that ratified the United Nations Human Rights Conventions and the country is expected to adhere to the standards laid down in the universal human rights documents.
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