The House of Representatives has asked the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Akali Baba, to take over the investigation into the death of Sylvester Oromoni Jnr, a 12-year-old student of Dowen College in Lekki, Lagos State.
The red chamber also asked its Committees on Education, Youth Development, Women Affairs and Social Development and Safety to conduct an investigation into the matter and report back to it.
The House condemned reports of inhumane treatments in boarding schools in Nigeria and resolved that the Federal Ministry of Education should create guidelines for the operation of boarding schools in the country.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved during plenary on Tuesday by Hon. Idem Uyime (PDP, Akwa-Ibom).
Moving the motion, Uyime said in the aftermath of the death of Oromoni, Nigerians have through social media platforms, voiced out their ‘bitter experiences’ at boarding schools.
The lawmaker also faulted the Federal Ministries of Women Affairs and Education for their silence over cases of bullying in schools.
He made reference to the case of Keren-Happuch, a 14-year-old student of Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja, who was allegedly raped while in school and subsequently died.
He said, “If proper measures had been put in place, we will not be having this— there would have been a proper way of monitoring the activities of these children.”
Also speaking on the motion, Obinna Chidoka (PDP, Anambra), said the House must send a strong signal to the world that children matter to the National Assembly, and therefore, moved a motion for the IGP to take over Sylvester’s case.
The motion was unanimously adopted when the Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase (APC, Plateau), who presided over the session, put it to vote.