Lead British International School, Abuja, has taken the decision to temporarily close its doors following a widely circulated video depicting a bullying incident involving a student identified as Maryam Hassan, which gained traction on social media on Monday, April 22, 2024.
The videos, posted by a user with the handle @mooyeeeeeee, captured the distressing scene of Maryam being repeatedly slapped by another female student, sparking an outcry from thousands of social media users urging the school to take action.
In response, the school convened a meeting on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, where it was announced that a three-day closure would be enforced to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.
Explaining the decision, a senior member of the school staff emphasized that the temporary shutdown was deemed necessary in the best interest of all parties involved.
Tensions escalated during the meeting when a parent confronted the student responsible for the bullying, resulting in a physical altercation. The student, accompanied by older males, faced intense criticism from the parent, who demanded accountability for the violent behavior towards Maryam.
Amidst the confrontation, the parent delivered a slap to the student, igniting further commotion before others intervened to diffuse the situation.
Prior to the closure announcement, Lead British International School had released a statement affirming its commitment to providing a safe learning environment and offering support to Maryam and her family through counseling services to address the emotional and psychological impact of the incident.
Furthermore, the school pledged to take disciplinary measures against the perpetrators, alongside their families, and launched an extensive investigation, deploying a dedicated team to gather evidence, review video footage, and interview witnesses to comprehensively understand the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Story: Elizabeth Ereke
Credit: @mooyeeeeeee/X