Soldiers invade school in Minna after teacher punished pupil

Over 12 soldiers from 31 Artillery Brigade of the Nigeria Army on Tuesday invaded a school, Hill Top Model Secondary School, in Minna, Niger State, holding teachers and students hostage.

The soldiers who stormed the school premises, were armed with AK-47 riffles and had removed their name tags. They were said to have arrived the place in a vehicle, with registration number, 31 AB 035 NA.

It was gathered that the soldiers came on the invitation of one Umar Alhassan, a civilian who was said to be a friend of one of the army officers.

A teacher with the school, Mr. Mohammed Mamud, stated that at about 8am, Alhassan, wearing a military fatigue, drove into the school in a black Nissan with registration number, Niger AA 551 KUG.

Mamud said Alhassan came on the invitation of one Farida Mustapha, a senior secondary pupil of the school who was punished by a teacher for an offence.

He explained that the teacher was taking Mustapha’s class when an unidentified student used abusive language. When nobody owned up to the act, the teacher punished the whole class, including Mustapha.

The teacher said Alhassan used the soldiers to intimidate the school and its teachers over the general punishment which involved Mustapha

The Principal of the school, Mr. Bala Mohammed, said “Umar Alhassan drove into the school in a reckless way. We thank God that the students were not on break or else he would have knocked one down.

“I cannot talk now until I get permission from the state Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Danladi Abdulmeed. But I have invited the Zonal Inspector and he is on the way to the school to see things for himself,’’ he said.

The Zonal Inspector, Mr. Mohammed Gambo, told PUNCH Metro that he was at the school to investigate the incident.

“We will do our best to get to the root of the matter, I assure you,’’ he said.

The soldiers, who refused to talk to journalists, later drove away with Alhassan. All effort to reach the Public Relations officer of the 31 Artillery Brigade of the Nigeria Army, Minna, proved abortive, as his phone line did not go through.