Maryam
Lead British International School Abuja has expelled student Maryam Hassan and others captured in a viral video bullying a fellow female student.
While other students watched in an unvoiced approval of the assault on the victim, Maryam was seen repeatedly slapping the victim who attempted neither resistance nor made any gesture to protect her face as she was continually slapped and verbally interrogated by Maryam with “who broke my heart?”
The incident led to a shut down of the school for three day, an order issued on Tuesday by the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye.
Beyond the shut down, the school has reportedly expelled the student and her supporters who seemed to her edged Maryam on as she assaulted and harassed her hapless victim. More videos showed the bully being taken away from the school with members of the victim’s family scolding her for her brutish behaviour.
Maryam was seen in a video apologizing for her behaviour: “I am very sorry for what I did to Namtira. I am also apologising to you all out there. I am sincerely sorry. I wish it never happened,” she pleaded.
Meanwhile, the family of the victim has threatened legal action even as they have demanded severe sanction on Maryam.
Namtira Bwala, the student assaulted in the video has written to the school management, demanding investigation and sanctions for the 11 students who bullied her.
The letter addressed to the management of her school through her lawyers at the Deji Adeyanju and Partners Law Firm, gave the school an ultimatum of 48 hours after which she will seek legal redress.
The letter read inter alia: “Our client and several other parents in Lead British International School have informed us and we verily believe them that this act of bullying is a reoccurring issue in the school, and despite several attempts to draw the school’s attention to it, the issue has persisted, leaving our client traumatised from the emotional and physical effect of the oppressive acts by these daredevil bullies.
“Our client completely dissociates herself from the statement issued by the school on April 22, 2024, wherein a case of battery was unconscionably referred to as an ‘incident between minors’.
“Sequel to the foregoing, we have our client’s instruction to demand an immediate investigation and the pronouncement of the stiffest possible sanctions in the student’s rule book on Ms. Maryam Hassan, Miss Faliya and nine other students who have formed a cult of bullies in Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, Abuja.
“Please note that if the school fails to sanction the student bullies within 48 hours of the receipt of this letter, we have our client’s further instruction to seek an immediate and severe legal redress against Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, without further recourse to you.”
