"It’s a Stage Play": Abuja School Refutes Viral Bullying Claims

Beautiful Beginning Academy, Apo, Abuja, has denied allegations of bullying at its institution following a viral video depicting what appeared to be a junior student being assaulted by seniors. The school has described the incident as a staged performance, not an act of aggression, asserting that the claims are baseless and aimed at tarnishing its reputation.

The Principal of the Academy, Aaron Ipke, addressed the controversy during a fact-finding visit, stating, "There was no bullying case here at Beautiful Beginning Academy. The video in question was part of a stage play conducted by students in their hostel. It was misunderstood and taken out of context."

The Alleged Incident

The video, which surfaced a few days ago, showed a junior student, Imtiyas, allegedly chained and assaulted by senior students. The shocking footage triggered public outrage, with demands for accountability from the school. However, the school administration refuted the claims, describing the incident as a "playful performance" and not an act of bullying.

Principal's Explanation

According to Ipke, the students involved were merely acting and had no malicious intent. He emphasized the school’s long-standing policy of fostering open communication and its 14-year history of zero tolerance for bullying.

“It’s important to note that we run an open-door policy where students, from nursery level upwards, have access to the management to report any concerns. If bullying were a norm, it would have been reported long before now,” he said.

He explained that the video was orchestrated by the students, who used a tablet assigned for learning purposes to record the act. Ipke pointed out that the recording, context, and actions of the students present indicated the event was dramatized for entertainment and not intended to harm anyone.

Misleading Context

Ipke further clarified that additional images and videos circulating online were unrelated and aimed at misleading the public. "Some of the visuals shared were old and unrelated to this incident. The boy allegedly seen lying sick was from a past event and not connected to this situation."

He added that the school had engaged the Ministry of Education to provide a full account of the events, maintaining that no injuries or harm occurred to any student involved.

Family Demands and School’s Stance

The principal revealed that the student's family had demanded compensation and hospital bills despite no evidence of injury. "We’ve reached out to the family multiple times, but they’ve avoided further communication. It’s clear that this matter has been escalated for reasons beyond the welfare of the student,” Ipke said.

Moving Forward

Beautiful Beginning Academy remains steadfast in its stance, describing the incident as a misunderstanding blown out of proportion. "We are committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all our students. This was a case of youthful exuberance, not bullying," Ipke concluded.

The Ministry of Education has been briefed, and the school has pledged full cooperation to ensure clarity and prevent similar occurrences in the future.