Dowen College shut school indefinitely over death of 12-year-old allegedly tortured to death for refusing to join cult

By Kalu Onyemaechi

Following the death of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni (Jnr), the management of Dowen School, Lagos has ordered that academic activities be put on hold for two days — Friday 3rd and Monday 6th of December.

According to Sahara Reporters, this was disclosed in an email the school management sent to parents on Friday morning.

Though the school did not make a direct reference to Oromoni’s death, it said the stay-at-home was necessitated by the current happenings and the emotional disposition of its pupils.

The school also said it would allow the pupils to revise for their forthcoming examinations.

The email reads, “Dear Parents, in view of the current situation concerning the school and considering the emotions of our students, we have advised that our students stay home tomorrow Friday 3rd and Monday 6th.

“This will also afford the students opportunity to revise for their forthcoming examinations starting next week.
Thank you for your understanding.”

On Wednesday, a social media user, @perrisoromoni, who is also a relation to the deceased lamented the death of his cousin who was allegedly beaten to death at Dowen College, Lagos.

The young man who took to his Twitter handle alleged that the deceased was beaten to death after he refused to succumb to pressure by fellow pupils to join a cult.

According to him, the deceased mentioned the names of five persons responsible for the pain before he finally gave up the ghost on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, in their reaction, the school claimed the deceased sustained injuries while playing football and was given immediate medical attention by the school’s resident nurse.
Subsequently, the pupil complained of having pains in his hip and was attended to again, this time by a doctor and a nurse and thereafter taken to his house, the statement said.
The school further said it had carried out a preliminary investigation where it was confirmed that there was no case of bullying, adding that it has policies that are strongly anti-cultism.
It also claimed there is a very cordial relationship between the school and the family.

But on Thursday, the family released videos that capture the last moments of Sylvester Junior to support its claims of torture on the young man.

The 12-year-old boy, from the video, was seen writhing in pain while bleeding from his mouth, with swollen lips and teeth that appear to be broken.

The parents of the deceased who were massaging him were heard hurling abuses at those responsible for causing their little boy so much pain.