The Ogun State government has closed down a private school, Perfect Light Nursery and Primary School, Eyinogbe, in Sagamu Local Government Area of the state, after the headteacher, Ashafa Afelaja, sodomised a female pupil (name withheld).
DAILY POST reports that Afelaja allegedly assaulted the minor and damaged her fistula, resulting in bleeding.
According to the Commissioner for Women’s Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye, the perpetrator is currently in police custody, and the ministry is following up on the rescued child for necessary attention and further action.
However, the state government, through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, on Wednesday, shut down the school for operating illegally.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Dr Ronke Soyombo, while visiting the school, expressed disgust at the alleged abuse and the deplorable conditions under which the pupils were learning.
Soyombo assured the community that the present administration, in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force, Ogun State Command, had intervened in the matter and would ensure a thorough investigation, while legal sanctions would be taken against the perpetrator.
She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating favourable learning environments for students in both state and private schools, regardless of their level, and she urged parents to take good care of their children and protect them from social ills.
The Special Adviser stated that the Ministry of Education has been working collaboratively with the State Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Development to carry out medical examinations and ensure the well-being of the affected child.
Meanwhile, she assured parents that the other pupils in the community would be enrolled at the nearest state primary school in Igode to continue their education without any disruption.
