Abuja school responds to viral bullying video allegation

The management of Beautiful Beginning Academy (BBA), located in Gudu District, Abuja, has refuted allegations of bullying following a viral video that surfaced on Monday.

The video depicted senior students purportedly tying a chain around the neck of an SS2 student, identified as Imtiyas, and ordering him to lie on the floor.

Responding to the claims on Tuesday, the school’s Principal, Aaron Ikpe, stated that the incident was a misinterpreted skit staged by students and not an act of bullying. Speaking to journalists at the school, Ikpe emphasized that BBA has a longstanding open-door policy encouraging students to report concerns directly to the administration, including the principal or managing director.

“Categorically, I will state that there was no bullying case here at the BBA. Whatever you saw was a make-believe act staged by the students in their hostel,” Ikpe explained. He added that the performance was witnessed by other students who did not report it as bullying, further reinforcing the claim that the incident was not malicious.

Ikpe noted that the students recorded the video on a school-provided tablet, which is typically used for educational purposes during learning hours. He admitted that the students’ actions, though innocent, may have crossed certain boundaries, leading to public misunderstanding.

The principal expressed shock at the allegations, especially since no reports of bullying had been lodged in the school’s 14-year history. According to him, the school only became aware of the issue when Imtiyas’ sisters visited on Monday to present their concerns.

“No such report was made until the sisters came on Monday to tell us there was a bullying case in the school,” Ikpe said. “In 14 years of existence, we’ve never had a situation like this or a case of this nature. It was quite shocking to us all.”

He reiterated that the school remains committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for all students and emphasized the institution’s zero-tolerance policy for bullying.