By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
Shock and condemnation have trailed a violent attack on a vice principal in Akure North, Ondo State, after he reportedly stopped a student from using a mobile phone to cheat during the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The disturbing incident occurred at Child Development College, a private secondary school located in Aule community, where Mr. Rotifa, a vice principal and teacher, was brutally assaulted by a group of armed thugs said to have been hired by the student’s parents.
Witnesses and school staff said the vice principal had confiscated an Android phone from the student during a WAEC paper last week, in line with school regulations. The student was nonetheless allowed to continue his exam.
However, what began as a routine enforcement of exam rules quickly escalated. The student’s mother reportedly stormed the school two days later, threatening to harm any staff who stood in the way of her son’s attempt to pass “by any means.” Under pressure, the school’s proprietor instructed that the seized phone be returned.
The situation deteriorated further when the student’s elder brother, described as a former student of the school, returned to confront Mr. Rotifa and issued threats. Later that day, the vice principal was attacked by the gang near the school premises, despite being escorted by two police officers.
A government statement released on Sunday by the Director of Schools in the Ondo State Ministry of Education, Dairo Obajulaye, confirmed the incident and condemned the assault. “The vice principal was assaulted after being pulled out of a police van by the thugs,” the statement read. “He was taken to the hospital and has since been discharged, but is currently in hiding due to safety concerns.”
The Ministry further stated that security arrangements have been made to protect the school’s staff and students for the remainder of the WASSCE period. Authorities have launched an investigation to apprehend those behind the attack.
Concerned parents and education stakeholders in the state have expressed outrage over the development, calling for decisive action against the perpetrators and those who funded the attack.
“This is a terrifying example of the lengths to which some parents are willing to go in sabotaging their children’s future,” said a local education activist. “If we do not protect our educators and uphold discipline, we are mortgaging the integrity of our education system.”
As of press time, the whereabouts of the suspects remain unknown, while law enforcement continues the search. The incident has once again raised questions about the safety of school officials and the growing culture of entitlement and lawlessness within the education sector.