A grade two teacher, Alhaji Usman Galadima, who allegedly defied 14 pupils of Central Primary School, Karabonde in Niger State has been suspended by the state’s Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB).
Galadima was accused of sexually assaulting some pupils of the school and threatening to kill them should they reveal his deeds.
It was learnt that his sexual allegations came up in July 2021, when two female pupils, aged 7 and 9, reported him to the school’s Headmistress, Maimunat Tanko, who immediately forwarded the report to the Headmaster, Abdullahi Toure.
The headmaster was said to have summoned the accused teacher. Though he denied the allegations.
However, two weeks after, another set of girls each from primary two and three reported similar incident to the headmistress.
This spurred the school management to form a disciplinary panel to investigate the matter.
During the investigation, more students reportedly filed the same complaints against the teacher.
The situation made the delegates of the traditional head of the district, Bà Karabonde, to visit the school to lodge complaints about how some girls in primary two and three were reportedly harassed by their teacher.
The teacher reportedly accepted that he only molested one pupil.
Eyewitness account said that his confession led to a brawl and the teacher was rescued, while the delegates were advised to take the matter to the Borgu Emirate Council.
Vexed by this, some youths invaded the school with weapons demanding the whereabouts of the teacher. During this unrest, it was learnt that all the teachers took to their heels for safety.
The embattled teacher later confessed that it was only two students he molested.
However, sensing compromise, the parents of the affected pupils further reported the incident to the Social Welfare Department, SWD, of Borgu Local Government.
The SWD, however, engaged a Minna-based agency, Child Rights Protection Agency.
During investigation, Galadima further confessed that he only defiled five among the pupils.
But the number of pupils who filed similar complaints had risen to 14. While five pupils alleged that he had defiled them, some said he only kissed them. Few said he coerced them to play with his manhood and others alleged he ordered them to undress.
Director, Niger State Child Right Protection Agency, Maryam Kolo, said the agency had facilitated the transfer of the case from Borgu LGA to Minna, so that it can be thoroughly investigated.
Also, the Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed that the social welfare unit of Borgu Local Government reported an incident of defilement of three girls of Central Primary School, Karabonde to the Police on August 27, 2021.
He said the state Commissioner of Police, Monday Bala Kuryas, has ordered a thorough investigation into the case.
Meanwhile, Niger State Universal Basic Education Board, NSUBEB, has announced the suspension of the embattled teacher.
The board’s Public Relations Officer, Idirs Kolo, in a statement, noted that the accused must be punished for what he did to the children.
According to him, the teacher needs to be suspended from work before deciding the kind of punishment that befits him.
He said: “The accused is presently with the Child Rights Protection Agency. We have to move him from Borgu to Minna to save him from mob action. They are all furious over what he did to their daughters.
“Galadima’s offence couldn’t be swept under the carpet, adding, “he deserves to be suspended. The state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello is not happy with the development.”