By Agencies

In a harrowing incident that shook the community, a 16-year-old student, Marwanu Nuhu Sambo, tragically lost his life after enduring over 130 strokes of the cane from the principal and vice principal of Al-Azhar Academy in Zaria, Kaduna state.

The incident, which occurred on October 20, 2023, stemmed from the student’s absence from school, leading to a horrifying punishment.

The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQAA) swiftly responded by ordering the immediate closure of the school, sealing the premises as investigations into the incident commenced.

Eyewitnesses recounted the distressing scene, describing excessive and violent punishment inflicted on the young student, including strikes to the head by the vice principal.

Dr. Usman Abubakar Zaria, the Director-General of KSSQAA, expressed deep concern and personally led a fact-finding team to understand the sequence of events.

The team engaged with the victim’s family, schoolmates, and visited the Divisional Police Headquarters where the principal and vice principal were detained. The victim’s death was officially confirmed at Hajiya Gambo Sawaba General Hospital in Zaria.

Meanwhile, the family of Marwanu Nuhu Sambo is demanding justice, prompting the Kaduna State Police Command to initiate an investigation into why he was given 130 strokes of the cane by the authorities at Al-Azhar.

ASP Mansur Hassan, the police spokesperson, confirmed that the case is under active investigation.