Namtira Bwala, a student of Lead British International School, Abuja, who was recently bullied by Maryam Hassan, a female classmate, has filed an N500m lawsuit against the school management.
The legal action followed the school’s failure to take necessary actions against Maryam and other bullies.
Last week the school released a statement sparking rage from Namtira’s legal team. It read;
“As you are aware, the Joint Investigative and Fact Finding Panel comprising of the Management of LBIS and the PTA Executives sat for three days, that is. Tuesday, 23rd to Thursday, 25th April 2024.
“Thereafter, the panel of investigation from the Federal Ministry of Education met with parents and the eight children involved in the incident, PTA Exco, Management, Board Members, teachers, counselors, selected students from Year 7 to 12, cross-section of parents across the school, teachers on duty on the day of incident on Monday, 29 Tuesday, 30 and Thursday, 2nd May, 2024. After the final seating of the panel on Thursday, the panel met with the School Management.
“I am directed by the Board and management of Lead British International School, Abuja to inform you that, your daughter, Namtira Bwala should resume back to school on Monday, 6th May, 2024. She is expected to resume in the office of the Head of School for a brief. The Guidance Counselor will commence counseling sessions with her on Monday as detailed in the letter given to you from the Counseling Department.
“I hope that upon return to school, your daughter, Namtira Bwala will be of good behavior by becoming an ambassador of peace and good conduct in school.
“I will be available in my office if you need to see the Management for further discussion.”
“LBIS has zero tolerance for bullying and we will work assiduously to ensure the safety of lives and property of every member of the community.
According to Bwala’s lawyer, Marvin Omorogbe, Founding Partner for Deji Adeyanju and Partners, the school management failed in its obligation to provide a safe and conducive learning environment for Namtira.
They sought a public apology to be published in two national dailies and N500 million for general damages and claimed that “A declaration that by the claimant’s studentship in the defendant’s school, Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, Abuja, the defendant owes the claimant a duty of care to protect her from any physical or emotional harm as well as any breach of her privacy while under the defendant’s custody and supervision.
“A declaration that the defendant’s failure to prevent the assault, torment, emotional distress, pain, and trauma suffered by the claimant while under the custody and supervision of the defendant amounts to negligent conduct on the part of the defendant.
“An order directing the defendant to pay the claimant the sum of N500,000,000.00 (five hundred million naira) as general damages for the defendant’s breach of the duty of care it owes to the claimant, and its negligent conduct in failing to prevent the assault, torment, emotional distress, pain, trauma and breach of privacy suffered by the claimant, while under the defendant’s custody and supervision.”
Recall that a viral video surfaced last month of Bwala being bullied and slapped by her classmate, Maryam Hassan.
