The Edo State Police Command has arrested all suspects involved in the bullying incident at Igbinedion Education Centre in Benin City, following the circulation of viral videos showing students being beaten and kicked by their peers.
The command confirmed in a statement on Saturday that those implicated have been apprehended and will be charged to family court in line with juvenile justice and child protection laws.
The statement, signed by police spokesman Eno Ikoedem, said a thorough investigation uncovered the sequence of events that led to the violent confrontations at the school.
According to police findings, the incident began on March 5, 2026, when two female students, both aged 14, had a disagreement with a fellow student. During the altercation, the student reportedly made offensive remarks about the girls’ late father, saying “Ogun kill your papa.”
Angered by the comment, the two girls allegedly attacked the student after school hours. A parent who had come to pick up her son intervened, but the girls reportedly turned on the woman, physically confronting her and dragging her clothes.
School management expelled the two girls following the incident.
The following day, a male student whose mother had been assaulted during the intervention launched a revenge attack on the victim seen in the viral video. The assault was recorded and posted online by another student.
The victim in the video is the brother of the two girls who had earlier assaulted the parent.
The command stated that all individuals directly connected to the incident have been identified, with those implicated now in custody.
“Following a thorough and painstaking investigation, the Command confirms that all individuals directly connected to the incident have been identified, while those implicated have been apprehended and are being charged to the family court in accordance with extant laws guiding juvenile justice and child protection,” the statement read.
Commissioner of Police has ordered the immediate deployment of the Operation Safe Schools Initiative across secondary schools in Edo State. The initiative aims to identify supervision gaps and prevent similar incidents from recurring.
The Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices has also been mobilised to engage students and school administrators through advocacy, sensitisation, and reorientation programmes.
The command appealed to parents, guardians, and school authorities to take greater responsibility in the moral upbringing and supervision of children.
While urging students to shun violence and report grievances through appropriate channels, the police assured the public that steps were being taken to ensure justice and prevent a recurrence.
The Edo State Ministry of Education had earlier condemned the violent act, with permanent secretary Edith Ebomoyi describing the behaviour as unacceptable and contrary to the values expected of educational institutions in the state.
The school has also expelled the students involved and pledged that such acts would not happen again.
