Thursday, April 9, 2026 - Fear has gripped the Federal Government College in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State following the death of 12-year-old Junior Secondary 2 (JS1) student Ufokobong Edwin Godwin, who was allegedly bullied to death by a senior student for refusing to share his provisions.
The incident, which began before the Easter break,
resulted in the deceased being hospitalised on Easter Sunday due to a neck
injury sustained during the alleged assault.
Narrating the incident on Wednesday, a student who lived in
the same hostel as the deceased but requested anonymity due to the sensitivity
of the incident said the senior student approached Godwin for his provisions
during the terminal examinations, but he declined, insisting he did not have
enough to share.
“A fellow student, a senior in SS3, asked the boy for
provisions, but he refused. The student reportedly hit him on the neck, after
which he went into a coma,” the student said.
“He later regained consciousness in the hospital and was
taken back to school. When the holiday came, the parents picked him up without
being informed of any incident involving their son—perhaps because the school
did not think the injury was serious.”
The source added that the senior student continued hitting
Godwin’s neck until he fainted three times before other students raised the
alarm.
“The students rushed to inform the boarding master, who took
the deceased to an undisclosed hospital before he regained consciousness and
left for the Easter vacation,” the student said.
He further revealed that the school allegedly did not inform
the parents about the incident or the need for continued medication at home
during the Easter break.
“At home, the boy developed severe neck pain, shouting, ‘My
neck! My neck!’ His parents initially bought him pain relief drugs, unaware
that the injury was more serious,” the source said.
“When the pain worsened, the father rushed him to the
hospital, where he died on Easter Sunday. Back home, the parents said the boy
had started complaining of throat pain on Wednesday, and they had obtained
medication for him.
“On Saturday night, the father called some friends, asking
them to pray for his son, who had been taken to the hospital. By Sunday
morning, around 1:00 a.m., the boy passed away.
“The hospital later confirmed that he died from
complications associated with blood clots around his throat (neck area),” the
student added.
When contacted on Wednesday, the state Police Public
Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, said she had not been informed about the
incident but would find out.
However, she had yet to respond at the time of filing this
report.
The principal of the school, Jude Ezeogu, confirmed the
incident, describing it as unfortunate.
He said the circumstances surrounding Godwin’s death would
be communicated to the public after the school management committee meeting.
“It’s an unfortunate incident. The entire school is in
mourning. He is our child; he is a Nigerian child, so we are deeply touched by
his demise.
“The school management committee will meet tomorrow to
discuss the matter, and the circumstances of his death will be communicated,”
Ezeogu said.
Meanwhile, the family of the deceased has called on the
Federal Government to investigate the circumstances leading to their son’s
death.
In a telephone interview with PUNCH Metro on Wednesday, the
father said, “Though I am saddened by the incident, the government should
intervene immediately for justice to prevail. I cannot talk now. I am calling
on the Federal Government to intervene for justice. I will speak at the
appropriate time.”
This incident comes amid a series of bullying cases in both
public and private schools across Nigeria, with stakeholders calling for urgent
action.
Last month, the Edo State Police Command summoned the
management of Igbinedion Education Centre, Benin City, to produce the students
involved in the bullying and assault of a schoolmate for investigation and
possible prosecution.
In a video that went viral on X on Friday, two male students
of the school were seen beating and kicking another student who was lying on
the ground.
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