From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
At 15, Blaise Felix Aliyu could neither imagine nor remember what his mother and father looked like, having lost two of them almost in the same period when he was just three years old, about 12 years ago.
The only people he could be proud of are his immediate younger twin brothers, aunt and maternal grandparents whom he grew up to know as relations, until he was killed through bullying by senior students at Air Force Secondary School, Mando, Kaduna.
The twins were probably a year old when their parents died. Their late mother hailed from Adamawa State, a mass communication graduate from Kaduna Polytechnic, while their late father hailed from Southern Kaduna.
This was the pathetic story of Felix, orphaned at three, killed at 15 on June 19, 2024, on the school premises, three days after this year’s Eid-el-Kabir Sallah celebration, leaving behind his twin younger brothers, who are also students of the school.
Felix, who was the assistant headboy of the school, was preparing to write NECO examinations in a few months’ time. His aunt whom he was fond of calling, “Big Mummy”, Daily Sun gathered, had visited him and his brothers at the school premises on Sallah day, which fell on official visiting day of the school, taking food and other items to them.
Daily Sun also gathered from a family source that, on the official visiting day, Felix selected one his photographs that he had wearing the school uniform and gave it to the visiting guardian, as if he had a premonition of his death in the hands of bullying senior students.
Family sources said the promising boy must have suffered the tragedy out of mere jealousy because he was always the overall best student all the years he spent at Air Force School, with clean and unquestionable character.
The late Felix, Daily Sun further learnt, was a humble boy who respected his seniors a lot. His tall height, coupled with his excellent academic performance, according to sources, was already attracting the attention of the school authorities, which was ready to groom him as a future air force officer, but his death shocked and took his admirers unawares.
The sources further told Daily Sun that Felix’s twin brothers were withdrawn from the school by the grandparents soon after their elder brother ‘s death for fear of the unknown.
“The boy was so calm and intelligent. The authorities had already pencilled him down as the best student, and he was to be appointed the overall prefect, with scholarship. Knowing this, envy from his colleagues set in.
“The death of Blaise has demoralised us more than when his mother and father died some years ago. The boy didn’t even know who was his mum because he was just three years old when the mother died.
“The boy unconsciously gave his picture to one of his relations that visited him in the school during the Sallah celebration, not knowing it was meant for a display for condolence, as if he had a premonition of his death.
“The boy was so respectful, humble and social. He greeted people around him ceaselessly. The family needs God’s intervention to console them to overcome this irreplaceable loss,” the source added.
According to reports, the young boy was allegedly bullied to death by two senior secondary (SS3) students in the school dormitory within the Air Force Base on June 19, 2024.
“The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, and indeed the entire NAF family are saddened by the painful and unfortunate incident of the untimely death of one of our students at Air Force Secondary School, Kaduna, on 19th June, 2024.
“To avoid all sorts of speculations, a thorough investigation is currently ongoing to unravel how, why and what actually led to the death of the victim. Rest assured that this matter is receiving the utmost urgency it deserves, and we won’t rest until it is unraveled,” a statement by NAF spokesman, AVM Edward Gabkwet, read.
The family of the late boy is demanding justice. They want the cause of death unraveled to ensure that those responsible are made to face the music.
Felix’s family member, simply identified as Mr. Paul, told newsmen earlier that the boy was an orphan who was trying to become an important person in life, having lost his parents at a tender age in 2012. He did not explain further how the boy’s mother and father died that year.
To him, the best the management of the school and the Nigerian Air Force could do to honour the late assistant head boy was to intensify efforts and unravel what led to his death, with a sincere commitment to preventing a recurrence.
“The entire family and I are still in shock over the death of Felix. He was a brilliant and disciplined student to the core.
“We were informed about the death of Felix by the education secretary of the Air Force. We were assured that an investigation is currently ongoing to fish out the culprits and see that justice is done and served.
“We, as a family, trust in the integrity of the school and the Air Force and we are confident that the killers of our son will not escape punishment,” Paul said.
Meanwhile, the executive director, United Women Voice International Foundation, Favour Henshaw, has said that Nigeria was due for an anti-bullying policy to tame the unfortunate trend in private and public schools.
According to her, bullying and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) represent significant challenges for children and adolescents, often leaving lasting scars on their psychological well-being.
“While each phenomenon has been extensively discussed, understanding their interconnectedness with juvenile delinquency provides valuable insights for intervention and prevention efforts.
“Children who experience adverse childhood experiences such as physical or emotional abuse, neglect or household dysfunctions are more likely to be involved in bullying, either as perpetrators or victims,” she noted.
She stated that individuals who engage in bullying behaviour may exhibit a range of risk factors associated with delinquency, including aggression, impulsivity, and defiance of authority: “Without appropriate intervention, these behaviours escalate, leading to more serious anti-social behaviour, so we are calling for anti-bullying policy in Nigeria.”
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