A private school in Arepo, Ogun State, strongly refutes Arepo school incision allegations, providing a detailed account highlighting inconsistencies in parents’ claims

[dropcap] The [/dropcap]management of a private school in the Arepo area of Ogun State has vehemently denied allegations made by parents that incisions were made on two of their pupils.

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The school director, Abimbola Oluwunmi, provided a detailed account of the incidents, highlighting inconsistencies in the parents’ claims.

According to Oluwunmi, the controversy began on March 11, 2025, when two parents, Mrs. Toyin Adurogboye and Mrs. Risikat Ishola, accompanied by other women, arrived at the school.

They claimed that their children, five-year-old Al-Ameen Ishola and two-year-old Kayla Adurogboye, had suspicious marks on their bodies, which the parents alleged were the result of incisions inflicted at the school.

Upon being confronted, Director Oluwunmi immediately sought clarification.

The parents stated that their children had mentioned an ‘aunty’ instructing them to ‘bend down and put pepper on their backs.’ Oluwunmi pointed out that the school does not use the title ‘aunty’ for staff members, casting doubt on the children’s statements.

When questioned directly, Kayla remained silent, and her mother admitted she was unlikely to speak. Al-Ameen also claimed to know nothing about the alleged incident.

Oluwunmi expressed concern that the parents’ explanation of the children being ‘afraid’ suggested they might have been coached or influenced.

The director then inquired whether the children had been in other locations besides the school. While the parents initially denied any other interactions, Oluwunmi stated that when she mentioned Al-Ameen being seen outside school, his mother reluctantly admitted he attended additional lessons at an Islamic school (‘ILE-KEWU’).

Similarly, Kayla’s mother had consistently stated that Kayla was always in her minder’s care and only consumed food provided by her.

Oluwunmi argued that these contradictions indicated the children had multiple caregivers and environments where the alleged incidents could have occurred.

Oluwunmi further claimed that in the two and a half years Al-Ameen had been enrolled, his mother had only personally collected him from school approximately 20 times.

She stated that Al-Ameen’s mother had given explicit permission for him to be released to a friend, another pupil’s parent who assisted with pick-ups near her shop.

“Evidence of when she provided me with this woman’s details is available,” Oluwunmi asserted. She later learned that the mother instructed the friend to drop Al-Ameen at the junction near her shop, leaving him to walk the rest of the way alone, a practice Oluwunmi immediately advised against due to safety concerns.

She also noted instances of seeing Al-Ameen playing unsupervised in that area.

Oluwunmi also highlighted inconsistencies in the timeline of reporting. Kayla had last attended school on February 28, but her mother only raised the issue nearly two weeks later.

Al-Ameen continued attending school until March 7, and his mother had not mentioned any injuries during this period. The school management argued that these delays in reporting further questioned the veracity of the parents’ claims.

During discussions, Oluwunmi said Kayla’s mother and minder checked the classroom but Kayla did not identify any of the three teachers present.

Oluwunmi also noted that Kayla’s father, when contacted, made remarks suggesting motives unrelated to the children’s health, alleging the school was attracting students from other schools and spreading illnesses, claims Oluwunmi firmly denied.

The parents requested CCTV footage, but a recurring issue with the DVR system had caused an error. Oluwunmi stated she promptly contacted an engineer, who resolved the issue by the evening of March 11.

Playback footage from February 28 showed the children active, uninjured, and displaying no signs of distress. Oluwunmi also mentioned power outages between February 26 and 28, which would have affected continuous CCTV coverage.

The director stated that staff had inquired about the children’s well-being during their absences, without any concerns being raised by the parents.

She noted Kayla’s absence from February 11-14 and Al-Ameen’s absences on February 26 and March 11, with school records showing inquiries about both children.

Oluwunmi specifically mentioned calling Kayla’s mother on March 9, who did not mention any marks on her daughter’s body. She also pointed out the school’s mid-cycle break from February 14-23, during which both children were absent.

Oluwunmi affirmed that despite noticing contradictions, the parents continued to spread allegations and share photos of the marks.

An internal investigation, she said, confirmed the school’s stance that the incisions did not occur on school grounds.

The Parents-Teachers Forum chairman reportedly spoke with Kayla’s father on March 14, who stated he learned about the incision “four days ago,” meaning March 10.

The school director stated that on March 14, Kayla’s mother arrived with police officers, who took statements. Oluwunmi said the police concluded that there was no evidence suggesting the incision originated from the school after inspecting the premises and verifying the CCTV surveillance.

On March 17, the case was transferred to court, with a hearing scheduled for April 9. The school alleges that the parents are attempting to delay legal proceedings.

Subsequently, the Ogun State Ministry of Education intervened, visiting the school on March 24 and 25. On March 27, the school alleged that ministry officials disrupted school activities and asked pupils to vacate the premises.

“The school has always upheld a transparent approach in handling matters between teachers and pupils, ensuring fairness without bias,” Oluwunmi stated.

She emphasised that her stance was not defensive but a commitment to truth, justice, and fairness.

“Our school stands firm in its commitment to child safety and transparency. The school has cooperated fully with authorities and remains confident that the facts will clear its name.

Evidence at our disposal overwhelmingly confirms that the allegations were unfounded and possibly driven by ulterior motives.

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The upcoming court hearing will provide further clarity as we remain dedicated to ensuring justice and protecting the reputation of our school,” Oluwunmi concluded.