The Ekiti Government on Thursday denied reports alleging that its tax officials locked up a private primary school in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, and made the pupils of the school to suffer for hours.
WITHIN NIGERIA reports that a viral video made the rounds on social media, showing a parent complaining about the maltreatment of school children by the Ekiti state government.
She said that she came to pick up her kids from the nursery school, but was surprised after she couldn’t get inside because Ekiti state task force locked the gates with the school children inside.
The disappointed mom also slammed the task force for not giving notice to the parents in order for their children to stay at home, as she claims the children were not being attended to, due to the situation.
She also showed video of the locked gate, as she revealed that the school was locked since morning and that many parents who came to pick up their kids were also standing outside the school gate
The Commissioner for Information and Values Orientation, Wale Omole, denied the allegation in a statement he made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Ado Ekiti.
He described the reports of school children being locked up over refusal of their school’s management to pay tax as incorrect, saying the present government would never do such to young children under any circumstance.
”The attention of the government of Ekiti State has been drawn to a viral video alleging that enforcement officers of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service sealed off a private school, with children inside.
” The circumstances surrounding this event are being investigated and a comprehensive statement will be issued once concluded.
” At this material time, the referenced school has been visited by the officials of government and we can confirm that it is untrue that children are being held.
” Without prejudice to the outcome of the investigation which will be made public very soon, the government assures the public that it is totally unacceptable for children to be maltreated in any way in Ekiti State, and state government will not condone such.”
He said that the Gov. Kayode Fayemi-led administration had been consistent in the fight against discrimination of any kind, and had remained committed to ensuring schools are safe spaces for learning and for moral instruction.