The Lagos state government has ordered the immediate closure of all Chrisland schools across the state, pending further investigation into an alleged sexual violence case involving students from schools in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The government in a statement said it has launched an investigation into the issue.
The statement read: “The attention of the Lagos State Government has been drawn to the alleged sexual violence case involving students of Chrisland Schools which occurred in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
“It is pertinent to note that all allegations are being investigated by the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, including the Ministry of Education, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Ministry of Justice and the Lagos State.
“In view of the allegations, we are committed to ensuring that adequate medical and psycho-social support is provided.
“This is to reassure members of the public of the State Government’s commitment to safety and child protection, especially in ensuring that all child-centred institutions within the state, formulate and implement policies and systems that are compliant with the Executive Order (NO.EO/AA08 of 2016), Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Program.
“We also use this medium to remind the general public that any person who engages in any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a child, commits an offence and is liable to a custodial sentence of 14 years. This includes “producing, distributing, receiving, or possessing an image of child pornography”.
“In the meantime, all Chrisland Schools within Lagos State are hereby closed, pending further investigations.”
Recall that the school had suspended the female student for the act.
The school in a letter dated April 14, 2022, and signed by the Head Teacher, G. I. Azike, and titled, Indefinite suspension said: “It was discovered that your daughter was involved in improper behaviour during the recently concluded World School Games in Dubai with a few of her counterparts willfully participated in a game they called Truth or Dare’, a game which led her and a few other co-learners to carry out an immoral act after the lights-out instruction was given.
“In line with our core values centred on discipline, Chrisland Schools have zero tolerance for any improper behaviour and misconduct. A full-scale investigation has been done and the parents of all the culpable learners have been duly notified of the necessary punishment meted out on the learners.
“The parents gave their full cooperation realising the need to work with the school so that the learners can be corrected and be of expected proper behaviour henceforth.
“However, in the course of the school’s efforts to see how best we can help…who was a major participant in the whole incident, every effort to inform you as her parents about the incident and ensure that this improper behaviour is permanently corrected, has proved to be futile.
“We cannot as a school condone such. Consequently, (the student) is hereby placed on an indefinite suspension until you as the parents ensure that she is punished, adequately counselled and rehabilitated.”
But the mother of the student expressed displeasure over how the school handled the incident, saying, “my daughter was dying in silence and she couldn’t speak.
According to her, they threatened to kill her if she speaks and conducted a pregnancy test on her daughter without their consent.
The mother, in a video, also said that the school “lied” to her that what happened was “a kiss” until another parent showed her the video of the “immoral act”.
According to her, the daughter said the “immoral act” happened under the influence of drugs, Punch reprots.
She said, “My child attends Chrisland School VGC. Please, I am making this video to beg Nigerians to get justice for me.
“About a month ago, I was on my way out of Lagos when I got a call from the headteacher in Chrisland; she said she wanted to see me and so two days later I went to the school.
“I got to the school and I met their representatives.
“They said they wanted me to know that my daughter whom I left in their care on a trip to Dubai had a kiss with a boy and the boy also kissed her.
“They found out that they got the kissing idea through “Truth and Dare” and advised that I should caution my daughter and take her phone from her.
“I said okay if it is just that, I was going to collect the phone from her. Mrs Kemi also advised me not to tell my husband that it is not everything a woman should tell her husband. I thought the issue wasn’t more than that; so it ended then.”
She also claimed that her daughter was suspended after she confronted the school authorities.
“A parent called me that she needed to see me urgently. I went to her house and she told me that something had been trending in Chrisland and she believed I was not aware. The woman showed me the video and told me that all the parents were aware. Immediately, I informed my husband.
“Because we had started confronting them that we were aware of what they did, the school sent her a suspension letter.
“When my daughter explained to me what happened, she said that they went out in the morning to have breakfast and one of the boys begged her to lend him her phone charger which she obliged. After they had dinner, the boy called her room that she should come and take her charger. She went there for her charger.
“When she got into the room, one of them said she should take her charger from the toilet; it was when she entered the toilet that they told her to take a substance, so they were all under the influence. She said after that she did not know what she was doing again.
“Please, I am begging Nigerians to help me because Chrisland is trying to hide this issue. They are trying to push us out of the way and my daughter is affected psychologically. Please, I need help as a mother. I am begging fellow Nigerians to help me.”
