A 17-year-old final-year secondary school student has died following an alleged assault by his classmates at a government secondary school in Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State.
The deceased, Hassan Ahmadu, a Senior Secondary School (SS3) student of the Government Science and Technical College, succumbed to injuries after being attacked on Sunday in what sources described as a bullying incident involving fellow students.
Family members confirmed that Hassan was taken home and buried the same day in his hometown, Gadaka, in Fika Local Government Area. The circumstances leading to the attack are still under investigation by authorities.
Police Open Investigation
The Yobe State Police Command confirmed the incident through its Public Relations Officer, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, saying a police investigation has commenced to determine the precise cause of the student’s death.
“Yes, we are aware of the incident, and an investigation is currently ongoing to ascertain what led to the death of the student,” SP Abdulkarim told our correspondent.
Allegations of Bullying Surface
A teacher at the school, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that Hassan had been subjected to bullying by some of his classmates for some time before the fatal incident. According to the teacher, Hassan pleaded with his attackers to stop, but they allegedly persisted, leaving him seriously injured.
“The whole school was shocked by what happened,” the teacher said, adding that suspected students have been handed over to police by school authorities.
Calls for Safety Measures
The incident comes amid rising concerns over violence and unrest in secondary schools across parts of Nigeria, prompting civil society groups and parents to call for enhanced student protection and strict anti-bullying policies.
Education stakeholders have urged school authorities and the state government to strengthen counselling services, peer-support systems, and enforce disciplinary frameworks to prevent recurrence of such tragic events.
When contacted, the Yobe State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Prof. Abba Idriss Adam, said he would provide an official response to our correspondent in due course.
