Sylvester Oromoni’s death: NANS calls for arrest of school principal and housemaster, urges foreign missions to ensure accused schoolmates do not sneak out of Nigeria

The National Association of Nigerian Students NANS has called for the arrest of the Principal and the House Master of Dowen College following the death of one of its students, 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni.

In a statement released by its National President, Asefon Adedayo Sunday, NANS alleged that the negligence of the principal and the housemaster at the college led to the alleged attack and death of Sylvester.  

”After careful observation of the intricacies surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sylvester Oromoni, a student of Dowen College, Lagos, who allegedly died from injuries sustained during an attack by bullies suspected to be senior students of the College and the high level of irresponsibility exhibited by the College in an attempt to cover up the real reason of Sylvester death, we are compelled to make the following demands:

That the Principal and the House Master of Dowen College whose negligence led to the attack and death of the student and who had purportedly misled the parents of the deceased and the public on the cause of Sylvester with the view of derailing the cause of justice and protecting the culprits be arrested immediately for a thorough investigation and subsequent prosecution according to extant law if found culpable of negligence resulting in the death and action capable of derailing and manipulating justice. We, therefore, call on the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State to ensure they are immediately arrested.”

NANS also called for the immediate arrest and interrogations of students mentioned in the alleged attack of Sylvester.

”There must not be any sacred cow as all of them must be arrested, adequately interrogated, and charged if found culpable.

By this press statement, we put on red alert foreign missions in Nigeria to deny entry to the following students who had been fingered in the attack leading to the death of Sylvester Oromoni until the investigation is concluded

Edward Brown

Benjamin Favour

Ansel Temile

Emmanuel (Other names not available at press time)

Micheal Kashamu

We note that if the allegation against these students is investigated to be true, they must be considered a threat in any country and they do not represent our country Nigeria as we cannot guarantee they will not constitute a greater threat to your country and its people. It is therefore important for them to be cleared of any wrongdoing in the death before allowing them access to your countries. Also if any of them has sneaked into your country, it is in the best interest of the security of your country to deport such to first clear their name in Nigeria before given access to stay in your country

We also call on parents of students who witnessed the assault at the dormitory to give their wards the necessary support and confidence to speak out to aid the cause of investigation to ensure bullying in schools is discouraged.”the statement read

NANS says it will follow this case religiously to ensure a level playing ground at the cause of the investigation irrespective of how influential and wealthy the families of the purported culprits are.