Tension has gripped residents of Oju Local Government Area of Benue State following the shocking death of a schoolteacher allegedly beaten to death by a Junior Secondary School student.
The incident, which occurred on Thursday, July 10, involved a 16-year-old student identified as Friday Ogamude, who allegedly attacked and fatally injured his teacher, Mr Oyibe Oyibe, during a heated confrontation over a confiscated cap.
Mr Oyibe, a 35-year-old teacher at UBE Oju Centre, had reportedly seized the cap from Ogamude in May. Sources said the student confronted the teacher on the school premises, demanding the return of the item. What began as a verbal exchange quickly turned physical, leading to the teacher collapsing on the spot.
Medical personnel at Amara Hospital in Oju confirmed Oyibe’s death shortly after he was rushed there by concerned bystanders.
Reacting to the tragedy, the Benue State Police Command confirmed that the suspect had been arrested and taken into custody. “We have taken the suspect in. A thorough investigation is underway to uncover all the facts surrounding this disturbing incident,” a police spokesperson said.
The command described the act as tragic and avoidable, assuring the public that justice would not be compromised.
Community leaders and residents have expressed outrage and sadness over the incident, calling for urgent reforms in student-teacher relationships and disciplinary procedures in schools.
“This is a wake-up call,” said Mr Terver Ogbole, a local education advocate. “We must begin to address the growing breakdown of respect and discipline among students. A teacher lost his life just for enforcing rules.”
The remains of the late teacher have been deposited at the General Hospital morgue in Oju for autopsy.
Meanwhile, the school management has yet to release an official statement as grief continues to envelop the school community.
