Lead British International School: Amnesty International Demands Immediate Action On Anti-Bullying Policies In Nigerian Schools

Amnesty International, the renowned international human rights organization, has issued a strong condemnation of the horrific bullying experienced by Namtira Bwala, a student at Lead British International School, Abuja, at the hands of her classmate, Maryam Hassan.

Amnesty International warned that this toxic culture represents a serious threat to the well-being and future of society as a whole.

In a powerful statement, the organization cautioned that these incidents, while seemingly isolated, could have far-reaching consequences for both the students involved and the broader community, leading to a long-lasting cycle of trauma, violence, and social dysfunction if left unchecked.

In the aftermath of the public outcry over the brutal bullying of Namtira Bwala, the Nigerian government responded by temporarily closing the Lead British International School for three days in an effort to address the incident.

The videos of Namtira’s mistreatment, which quickly went viral on social media platforms, sparked widespread outrage among Nigerians, with many calling for justice and an end to the harmful culture of bullying in the country’s educational institutions.

Two haunting videos surfaced on social media, depicting the intense suffering of Namtira Bwala as she was subjected to verbal and physical abuse by a fellow student, Maryam Hassan.

In the first clip, a visibly distressed Namtira was repeatedly slapped as her tormentor demanded to know the identity of someone who had allegedly broken her heart. In the second video, Namtira was again harassed and slapped by Hassan in a cruel interrogation, leaving little doubt about the physical and psychological trauma inflicted upon the victim.

Amnesty International, in a statement addressing this shocking incident at Lead British International School, recalled the tragic deaths of two other Nigerian schoolchildren, Sylvester Oromoni (Jr.) of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, and Nuhu Yahaya of Federal Government College Kwali, Abuja, whose fates were sealed by brutal acts of bullying.

The organisation in a series of posts on its X handle said, “Unacceptable culture of abuses and bullying at schools is a danger to the society in short and long term.

“Schools are places for children to learn and grow.

“The Nigerian authorities must launch a nationwide zero tolerance for abuses and bullying at schools:

“Sylvester Oromoni (Jnr), a Junior Secondary School two pupil at Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, would have clocked 12 today. But he was allegedly physically abused in the school. He died 3 December 2021 from complications of the abuse.

“Nuhu Yahaya – 13-year-old Junior Secondary School II student of the Federal Government College Kwali, Abuja was allegedly beaten to death by his teacher over ‘failure’ of the student to do his assignment. He died on Monday, 9 August, 2021.”

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