After being suspended from school for alleged indiscipline and her parents’ assault on teachers, a JSS1 student of Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Ado Ekiti, Gift Agenoisa, has sued the Ekiti State Government, seeking N15 million damages for breach of fundamental rights.
In suit number HAD/01/CR/2021 sworn to at the Ado Ekiti High Court, on her behalf by Mrs. Odunayo Agenoisa, she claimed that her suspension from school by the government after her parents allegedly beat up some teachers for punishing her for indecent dressing and gross indiscipline, infringed on her rights.
The plaintiff was described as cruel and inhuman, the alleged treatment meted to her for coming to school with an indecent hairstyle.
Joined in the suit are The School Principal, Mrs. Oluwasanmi F.M (first respondent); the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Olabimpe Aderiye(second respondent); the Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission(third respondent); and the Ekiti State Government (fourth respondent).
In the affidavit attached to the originating summons, the plaintiff claimed that she was singled out of assembly on May 22, 2021, and given 20 lashes of the cane on the order of the school principal for alleged indecent hairstyle.
In her originating summons deposed to by her counsel, Mr. Timmy Omotoso, and brought pursuant to Order 2 rules 1,3,4,5 and 6 of the fundamental rights enforcement procedure rules 2009 as preserved by Section 315 of the 1999 constitution, the applicant demanded N15 million damages for her suspension.
She also demanded her immediate reinstatement back to school with unfettered access to all services being rendered therein.
The plaintiff claimed that the beating she got that day resulted in bruises, life-threatening scars, and bloodstains on her uniform, adding that she fainted and was rushed to the police clinic in Ado Ekiti, where she was resuscitated.
She claimed further that her letters of protest to the wife of the Ekiti State Governor and some relevant government agencies were not responded to, hence, her resorting to legal action to seek redress.
The plaintiff added that she was being denied access to the school premises and her class on the order of the principal since then.
Meanwhile, the case which came up before Justice Lekan Ogunmoye of the Ekiti State High Court, on Thursday, was adjourned to September 22 for hearing.
On May 22, the plaintiff’s father, also a Police Sergeant, Elijah Agenoisa, allegedly mobilized four armed policemen to the school to manhandle some teachers for scolding his daughter for coming to school with an indecent hairdo against the school rules and regulations.
Consequently, the school suspended his daughter and the Ekiti State Police Command had allegedly queried the policeman, the result of which is unknown.
