Benue school expels 11 over viral stripping of female student

The management of Seat of Wisdom Secondary School, Aliade, in Benue State, has expelled 11 students found to have participated in an assault on a female student that was recorded and circulated on social media.

The incident came to public attention after a video went viral showing a female student being stripped by fellow students in uniform while others watched and mocked her.

The victim was seen struggling to cover herself as the attack unfolded.

A school source said the incident occurred approximately a week before the video gained traction online, and did not take place within the main school compound but in a bush behind the school, where JSS3 and SS3 students had been attending extension classes.

According to the source, the crisis began when two female students agreed to settle a personal dispute away from the supervision of teachers.

“They allegedly agreed to leave the school environment and settle the dispute in a secluded area.

“However, what started as a one-on-one confrontation quickly got out of hand when their friends joined in,” the source said.

The altercation escalated into a group clash, with students tearing one another’s uniforms, including undergarments. Some students recorded the incident rather than intervening.

Teachers eventually noticed the disturbance and stepped in to restore order before the situation worsened.

Extension classes were subsequently suspended, and some students were placed on immediate suspension.

School authorities confirmed that disciplinary proceedings had been initiated even before the video went viral.

Following a formal investigation by the school’s Disciplinary Committee, all 11 students — nine girls and two boys — were individually expelled. Their parents have since been notified.

Each expulsion letter, signed by the school principal, cited the students’ involvement in fighting and the unlawful posting of a video on social media as grounds for the action.

“You have been expelled with immediate effect from March 23, 2026,” the letters read in part, describing the conduct as a violation of school rules and a deliberate attempt to damage the institution’s reputation.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) also responded to the incident, directing its Benue State Command to liaise with relevant agencies to ensure the matter was addressed swiftly.