Henry Okonkwo, a student at Landmark International School in Mgbakwu, Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra State, has died after allegedly being beaten into a coma by a teacher.
Reports indicate that the boy passed away early Wednesday morning.
A few days earlier, Becksblog reported that Faith Nwonye, a 30-year-old teacher at the school, was arrested for allegedly beating the eight-year-old pupil into a coma on Monday.
Nwonye had been summoned by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, to explain the incident that led to the child's severe injuries on Monday, May 20, 2024.
Chuma-Udeh expressed deep sorrow over the incident, noting that medical reports indicated the boy had only a 20 percent chance of survival.
She stated that the school was operating illegally and described the situation as criminal. She warned that running an illegal school and abusing a child would have serious repercussions.
Both the teacher and the school's proprietor, Mrs. Promise Ilo, were summoned.
As a result of this incident, the school was temporarily closed pending an investigation.
The teacher admitted to flogging the child but claimed the beating was not as severe as reported.
The case was handed over to the police for investigation, and the child was in the hospital's intensive care unit, where he later died early Wednesday morning.
On Thursday, the commissioner expressed her grief over the boy's death on her verified Facebook page, noting that he was a boy with hopes and dreams.
She wrote, “He was a boy like any other, with hopes and aspirations. He went to school for a better future but met a gruesome death at the hands of the people who were supposed to help him achieve his life ambition.
“A quack teacher in an illegal school bludgeoned him to death. We mourn a life nipped in the bud! We mourn Henry Chukwuemeka Okonkwo! We mourn and we seek justice.”
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