Teacher surrenders to police after allegedly flogging 12-year-old student to death in Anambra

A teacher accused of flogging a 12-year-old pupil to death at a private school in Anambra State has surrendered to the police following a manhunt launched by the state command.

The incident occurred at a private school in Adazi-Ani, Anaocha Local Government Area, and has sparked widespread condemnation and renewed calls for stricter measures against excessive corporal punishment in schools.

According to the Anambra State Police Command, the pupil reportedly collapsed after allegedly receiving severe corporal punishment from the teacher.

Police operatives attached to the Neni Divisional Headquarters responded to a distress call and rushed the child to a nearby hospital for treatment. However, medical personnel later confirmed the pupil dead.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the victim’s body has been deposited in the hospital morgue, where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.

Ikenga added that preliminary observations revealed visible injuries on different parts of the child’s body, while photographs were taken as part of the investigation.

Following the incident, the teacher reportedly fled the school, prompting the police to commence a search under the command’s Safe School Initiative operations.

The operation, coordinated by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, ACP Harrison Oruruo, intensified efforts to locate the suspect.

Police said the teacher later surrendered at a police station after pressure from the ongoing investigation. She has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Awka, where detectives have commenced further interrogation.

The Anambra State Police Command assured the victim’s family that a thorough investigation would be carried out and that anyone found culpable would face the full weight of the law.

The incident has generated public outrage, with many Nigerians calling for stronger safeguards to protect pupils and a review of disciplinary practices in schools.

Authorities also reiterated their commitment to the Safe School Initiative, which is aimed at ensuring the safety and protection of students across educational institutions in the state.

Police said investigations are ongoing and that the outcome of the autopsy and other forensic findings will form part of the evidence in the case.