Final year Benue students burn their principal’s house after alleging he failed to register them for NECO exams despite collecting N85,000 from each

Benue students of Gyutiev Model College, located in Saghev Ward of Guma Local Government Area, have reportedly set fire to the residence of their principal, Mr Isaac Yina, after accusing him of failing to register them for the 2025 NECO examinations.

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The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday, causing panic among residents. The students involved are in their final year and claimed the principal collected ₦85,000 from each of the 178 candidates meant to sit for the National Examinations Council exams.

The enraged students allegedly took the drastic step when they discovered they had not been enrolled for the exams, despite completing their payments months earlier.

Eyewitnesses reported that the students stormed the principal’s residence with fuel and matches before setting it ablaze.

When contacted for comment, the Public Relations Officer of the Benue State Police Command, Udeme Edet, told press that she had not received an official briefing on the matter. “When I find out, I will let you know,” she said.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Guma area, which recently witnessed a mass killing in Yelwata community where over 200 lives were reportedly lost in a deadly attack.

Education authorities in Benue have yet to issue an official statement, but the incident has stirred public outrage, especially among parents and guardians who now fear for the academic future of their children.

A community elder who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “This is a terrible reflection of both the failure of leadership and the desperation of these young people.

The students acted wrongly, but there must be consequences for betrayal and deception, especially involving their education.”

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With no word yet on Mr Yina’s whereabouts following the arson, police and education officials are expected to investigate the matter and verify the claims of financial impropriety, even as questions mount over the safety and governance of private educational institutions in the region.