James Ogundele, an official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp, has landed in trouble for damaging one of the eyes of a 16-year-old pupil, Daniel Adedokun.
Ogundele was said to have flogged the Junior Secondary School three pupil of Ikosi Junior High School with a horsewhip for playing in the classroom.
The Punch gathered that in the course of the punishment, the horsewhip entered into one of the eyes of the pupil.
A source said Adedokun and his friend, one James, were accused of noisemaking by the assistant class captain.
The boys were reported to the class teacher, who took the two pupils for punishment on the school premises.
They were on the way when the group reportedly ran into Ogundele, who flogged the pupils.
Adedokun said his classmate, James, fled, while he could not.
He said, “The NSCDC official did not give us time to say anything, he just started flogging us with a horsewhip.
“While flogging us, the horsewhip hit my right eye. I felt intense pain and cried out, but he ignored me. I later reported the matter to the principal when the pain became unbearable. After the incident, I started to experience pains in the eye; later, I could not see with my right eye.”
Ogundele, who admitted to beating the victim with the horsewhip, said he did not mean to flog him in the eye.
The 45-year-old noted that he had been taking care of the pupil since the incident.
He said, “We took him to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for examination, and the school bought drugs worth N6,000.
“I have personally taken the boy to LASUTH three times. I have also seen the boy after that day and he told me that he could see partially.
“I have visited the grandmother and gave them the little money I had. After my visit, I became sick and I did not have money. I told the grandmother that if I received my salary, I would give them money. I am a civil servant.”
Our correspondent also gathered that Adedokun’s grandmother, Abayomi Olawunmi, said the school’s principal and Ogundele had pleaded with her not to press charges, promising that the school would treat Adedokun.
Olawunmi, however, said the victim had been abandoned and he could not see with the right eye.
She said, “At the Ketu Police Station, the principal and Ogundele pleaded with me to forgive him and promised to take care of my grandson. I accepted, but he did not take care of him.
“About a week after the incident, he visited our house and gave the child N1,000. Since then, he has not come.”
The Coordinator of Child Protection Network, a non-governmental organisation, Alhaji Awofeso, condemned the action of the NSCDC officer and said the body would step into the case. He also urged the state government to help the family.
