The Edo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of all suspects involved in a bullying incident at Igbinedion Education Centre in Benin City, stating that those implicated will be charged before a juvenile court.

Viral videos from the school had shown students being beaten, flogged, and kicked by alleged senior colleagues, sparking widespread outrage and concern among the public.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, the police said the arrests followed a thorough investigation and that the suspects would be prosecuted in line with laws guiding juvenile justice and child protection.

According to the statement, the incident began on March 5, 2026, when two 14-year-old female students reportedly had a disagreement with another student. During the altercation, the student allegedly made offensive remarks about their late father, provoking the girls, who later attacked the student after school hours.

The situation escalated when a parent who intervened was also assaulted by the girls. The school management subsequently stepped in and expelled the students for their violent conduct.

The following day, a retaliatory attack occurred when the son of the assaulted woman allegedly attacked another student—identified as the brother of the girls—in an incident that was recorded and circulated online.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police ordered the immediate strengthening of the Operation Safe Schools Initiative across secondary schools in the state to address gaps in supervision and prevent a recurrence. The Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices has also been mobilised to carry out sensitisation and reorientation programmes among students and school authorities.

The police urged parents, guardians, and school administrators to take greater responsibility for the moral upbringing and supervision of children, while advising students to avoid violence and seek appropriate channels to resolve conflicts.

The command assured the public that justice would be served and that proactive measures were being implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Meanwhile, the Edo State Ministry of Education, through its Permanent Secretary, Edith Ebomoyi, condemned the incident, describing it as unacceptable and contrary to the values of discipline, respect, and safety expected in schools.

The school management also reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on violence, noting that the students involved had been expelled and measures put in place to prevent a recurrence.