No fewer than 10 students were injured in a violent clash on Monday morning in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, during what is suspected to be a cult-related supremacy battle between two secondary schools in the Adeta area.
The altercation, which reportedly occurred around 11 a.m., involved students from Government High School and Government Day Secondary School, both located in Adeta. According to sources, the clash is believed to be a reprisal attack following a disagreement that arose approximately two weeks ago.
What began as a heated confrontation quickly escalated into a brawl, leaving several students with injuries ranging from minor bruises to more severe wounds.
Reacting to the incident, the Kwara State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, condemned the violent behavior. In a statement issued on Wednesday through the Ministry of Education’s Press Secretary, Peter Amogbonjaye, the commissioner expressed the government’s disappointment over the unruly conduct of the students.
Modibbo Kawu revealed that the rivalry between the two schools is not new, citing an almost decade-long history of clashes that school authorities have struggled to manage. She criticized both the students and the schools’ management for failing to promptly report the incident to the ministry.
The commissioner assured the public that the government would step in to address the issue. She also appealed to the students to prioritize their education, warning that such behavior could harm their future prospects.
“Students must reciprocate the government’s efforts by avoiding any action that tarnishes the state’s image. We want them to be the pride of their families and Kwara State,” she said.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson of the Kwara State Police Command, DSP Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, for comments were unsuccessful, as calls to her phone were unanswered, and text messages went unreplied.
Stay updated with this and other stories via our Chronicles Reporters’ WhatsApp Channel.