· For eating biscuits in class
·Investigation is still on—FCT Police Spokesperson
·Anxiety rife among parents whose children attends the school
To the parents of Little Miss Blessing Blessing Ejiroghene Omadevuae, 16th October, 2012 was just like any other day, however little did they knew that their Daughter Blessing Ejiorghene Omadevuae is embarking on trip of no return. The Primary 3 pupil of Unique International Academy which is located at Bwari Local Government area of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja never knew that date will be her last on earth.
As gathered by 247ureports, even though the death of the little Blessing has been wearing a veil of secrecy, close sources in the school said that the girl was hit on her head by her school teacher, who by all understanding was a Youth Corp doing her one year mandatory National Youth Service in that school, as the source also said that the said teacher’s name is Amaka; as learnt the said Amaka beat-up the late Miss Blessing for allegedly chewing biscuit in the class, however as a result of the beating, she was rushed to Bwari General Hospital, but he was confirmed dead on arrival by the hospital.
However, in order to conceal the whole matter, 247ureports gathered from a source within the school that the management of the school did give a stern warning to the pupils of the school not to make known what happened even as the issued a threat to the pupils that whoever does such will be severely dealt which will be accompanied by taut punishment and beating, as also learnt the whole saga has been creating apprehension in the midst of parents whose children also attend the school as during a recent visit to the institution, the matter was being discussed in hushed tones among its host community.
However, it was learnt that the father of the deceased child, Mr. Godstime Atebefia Omadevuae, while speaking with 247ureports, said that his his daughter was having stains of biscuits in her mouths even after her death. He innocently decided to take the matter as one of those sad experiences in life and the little baby was buried without suspecting a foul play. But through divine providence, the source of Blessing’s death became public knowledge through an unnamed schoolmate who witnessed it all: “we have buried my daughter and left our fate to God. But on a particular day when we went to print exercise books in her memory and in fulfillment of her requests for a special birthday, the parents of one of her schoolmates asked us: ‘Is Blessing your daughter? Since that day after her death, our baby has been saying: Is that how people die in this world? Blessing was beaten to death by her Auntie (teacher) because she was eating biscuit in class.’ We still distributed the books among her friends on her birthday being December 18 and that was how we knew.”
According to him he said that the incongruity of it is that; “there was no autopsy because they (school management) deceived us that my daughter was having serious convulsion before she died.”
However, a medical report obtained by 247ureports from Bwari General Hospital which was signed by Dr. Shehu Yakubu of the Bwari General Hospital reads thus; “there was no history of fever, vomiting, foaming (from mouth) or fecal and urinary incontinence. On examination, the child was lifeless, with no cardiac activity, no respiratory activity. She also had fixed and dilated pupils. CPR was done and a lot of gastric content was aspirated but there was no response. She was declared clinically dead. The diagnosis was BID (Brought in Dead). A post-Mortem is mandatory to establish a definite cause of death in this case before a death certificate can be issued.”
However, the parents of the deceased in a petition which written on their behalf by their counsel, Mr. Tony Ejumejowo addressed to the Proprietor of the School and FCT Police Commissioner, said that they expressed their regret that even the teachers and management of the institution lied to his client about what really happened, even as he said that a meeting was ordered between the family of the deceased pupil and the school authorities but for which the latter objected.
Meanwhile in the defense of his school, the Proprietor of Unique International Academy through his lawyer, Mr. Taiye Atotileto, accused the parents of the deceased and their lawyer of blackmail and trying to make money with Blessing’s death; “you are on a blackmail mission; on a sad note, we feel compelled to conclude that turning Miss Omadevuae Blessing Ejiroghene to a business of money extortion and blackmail is the last thing her parents should do. Late Miss Blessing’s parents should take the matter in good faith moreso if what her father said about the number of children he had lost is correct.”
The counsel to the school also said that the parents of the deceased pupil should bear the cost of investigation as he said that the police cannot bear the charges and that the should be ready to for pay damages to the school Proprietor time they also wasted and other cost of legal services.
Meanwhile, the Investigating Police Officer (CID Homicide Department-FCT Command) who simply identified himself as “DSP Bode” said he was investigating the case but had handed it over to another person because of his transfer. I was the IPO in charge of the case but I have handed it over to another person because I was transferred just last week from Homicide Department to Kubwa Division.”
However, Police Public Relations Officer (FCT Command), Ms. Doris England, confirmed the incident but said investigations have commenced but not concluded; “I have spoken with the Head of the Department that is handling the case and since the child actually died, it has become a case of homicide and the Officer in Charge of the Homicide Section in the FCT CID had told me that investigation is still on.”
As it is now, arrangements are being made for legal fireworks and this is another test case for Nigeria Police to redeem its credibility.
