Ogun State Government Suspends School Principals Over Student’s Death at Ilugun High School

The Ogun State Government has suspended the principals of both the junior and senior sections of Ilugun High School, Elega, Abeokuta, following the tragic death of a student during a protest on the school premises.

The announcement was made by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, at a press briefing in Abeokuta. He confirmed that the suspension would remain in effect pending the conclusion of a full-scale investigation into the incident.

🔑 Key Details of the Incident

• Preliminary investigations revealed that the junior school principal, Mrs. Alaba Olukoga, allegedly engaged in illegal collection of fees, which reportedly triggered the students’ protest.

• In an attempt to disperse the agitated students, local security operatives were invited. During the chaos, one student, while trying to escape, jumped over a fence into a nearby river and died.

• Although the senior school principal, Mrs. Temitope Ladipo, was not directly implicated, she was also suspended to ensure fairness and transparency in the ongoing investigation.

💬 Government’s Reaction

Describing the incident as “painful and irreparable,” Prof. Arigbabu expressed the government’s condolences to the bereaved family. He assured the public that:

“Anyone found culpable in this tragic incident will face the full weight of the law.”

The Commissioner further appealed to students to remain calm and avoid acts of vandalism, stressing that destroying school property would only worsen existing infrastructure challenges in the state’s education sector.

📌 Next Steps

• A full investigation is currently underway to establish the circumstances that led to the tragedy.

• Disciplinary and legal actions will follow once culpability is determined.

• The state government reiterated its commitment to ensuring accountability and safer learning environments across all schools.

✅ What Parents and Students Should Know

• Illegal fee collection is strictly prohibited in Ogun State schools.

• Students are urged to report grievances through proper channels instead of resorting to protests that may endanger lives.

• The government has assured that measures will be taken to prevent future occurrences of similar incidents.