Pupil, 12, ‘caught poisoning’ classmate for beating him to first position

A junior secondary school pupil 1 of Lekki British International School, Lagos, allegedly made an attempt to poison his 11-year-old female classmate, for beating him to the first position.

The 12-year-old reportedly sneaked into the school’s laboratory, stole sulphuric acid and ethanol, which he poured in the water bottle of his classmate.
The incident was said to have taken place on June 14, when the school was planning for the third term examinations.

He was caught by two students, who reported him to the school management.
When questioned, he admitted committing the offence, adding that he was envious of the girl for beating him to the first position in the first and second terms.
Meanwhile, conflicting reports have trailed the response of the school management to the issue, with some saying the boy has been expelled while others say he was pardoned.

“The boy has been expelled with immediate effect. The girl is in school and she is fine. We have zero tolerance for such misbehaviour,” an official of the school told PUNCH.
However, a member of the victim’s family said on Wednesday that despite the boy’s confession, the school allowed him to sit for the third term examination.

Abimbola Ololade Oligbinde, in a Facebook post, said that the aunt of the victim alleged that the boy was still in school.

According to Oligbinde, “the school is protecting the potential murderer and threatening the victim”.
In the post, she included a statement purportedly written by the victim’s aunt.
It read: “It will amaze you that the school in question still has the boy in school…no mental case assessment, he was allowed to write the very same exams he had tactfully planned on executing his classmate for so that she doesn’t take the first position again.

“One would think that the school authorities will be very concerned about what is going on in the mind of this child and immediately remand him to psychological and psychiatric help!
“But alas the parent of the victim is being accused by the school management of wanting to destroy the life of the boy by asking that he be expelled and made to write an apology. An apology came after one week of the incidence after it was vehemently demanded [for].

“I am appalled at the rot and decay of any form of value system that has exhumed from one of Nigeria’s supposed best schools..Lekki British International School.”
When TheCable contacted the school management, the receiver said the administrator was not available to speak on the issue, as he had travelled for a training.

She also refused to disclose any information, insisting that only the administrator was in a position to do so. - Cable Nigeria