The Eleven-year-old boy, Don Davis Archibong, whose ordeal as a pupil of Deeper Life High School, Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, has generated a lot of reactions from Nigerians in the past few days, has, during a Facebook live video session narrated how he was bullied and molested by the teachers and some students of the school.
Davis, while responding to questions from his mother, told a story of how he was subjected to all forms of stigmatizing experiences throughout most of his stay at the school.
According to the young boy, his torment started when his teacher, Mr Akpan, suddenly developed cold blood towards him because he bed-wets to the point that he would beat him with any object he could lay his hands on be it iron, belt, stick or a stone.
He disclosed that he was transferred by a teacher, Joseph Ikenna, from Junior Secondary School 1 Dormitory to Senior Secondary School 1 Dormitory on the advice of one Mrs Ndidi as part of a punishment for bed-wetting.
Being a junior student, Davis was faced with other series of maltreatment from two senior roommates whom he identified as Ola and Shalom. He said, “They (Ola and Shalom) used to put their hands inside my anus, and bring out faeces from my anus and use the hand to beat me.
On why Dan Davis did not deem it necessary to voice out his affliction to the school authority, he said, “They threatened to kill me if I report to anybody.
“They would ask me to bend down and dip their hands in my anus” They do it around 12 am when everybody including the hostel master would have gone to sleep”, he explained.
He recalled a moment when Mr Akpan was seriously beating him but was challenged by another teacher, Mr Michael, but Akpan turned deaf ears saying he cared less whatever happened and threatening to kill him.
As if all that was not enough for the young boy, Davis narrated how Mr Akpan deliberately starved him by making sure to deprive him of his right to his allotted daily meal thereby forcing the boy to go most times on empty stomach or buying biscuits and coke. “I go to the shop and buy biscuit and coke to eat”. He described further.
To add salt to injury, Davis recounted how he was prevented from taking his bath by the two senior students, Ola and Shalom, form complete two weeks, claiming their hostel is meant only for senior students and not junior students. To this, the mother added that at some point, the school called her to request for deodorant for the boy because they noticed he was smelling “like gutter” in the school.
The mother Mrs Ekezie however, denied ever demanding a 100 million naira from the school as circulated on social media. She said all she wants is justice for her son.
Since the story broke the internet few days ago, Nigerians both home and abroad have called for a thorough investigation into the issue in other to unravel those culpable in the wicked acts and bring them to justice.
The school management has however suspended the school principal, Mrs Ndidi over the allegation of molestation of Do Davis, and stated that an investigation is already on-going on the whole issue.