An 18-year-old secondary school student, Fawaz Hamzat, has been sentenced to three months of community service by a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Mapo, Ibadan, for wielding a cutlass and chasing a fellow student during an interschool conflict.
Hamzat, a student of Olunde Community Secondary School, pleaded guilty to the offense, which stemmed from a violent altercation with students from the nearby Olunde Grammar School. According to court proceedings, the incident took place on May 22 at approximately 3:00 p.m., when Hamzat was seen in the Olunde area brandishing a cutlass and pursuing students from the rival school.
The presiding magistrate, Mrs. O.O. Latunji, stated that the court reached its decision based on Hamzat’s guilty plea and the facts presented by the prosecution. “Having considered the circumstances and the defendant’s open admission, I hereby sentence him to three months of community service to serve as a deterrent to others,” she ruled.
Magistrate Latunji also issued a stern warning to the youth, cautioning him against engaging in further criminal behavior. She noted that any future offense would attract a more severe punishment.
During the hearing, the prosecuting counsel, Inspector Oluseye Akinola, explained that it was members of the local community and a neighborhood security officer who intervened and apprehended the student before the situation could escalate further. Akinola noted that Hamzat’s conduct was in clear violation of Section 249 of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000, which prohibits carrying dangerous weapons with intent to harm or intimidate others.
The case has reignited concerns about the resurgence of violent interschool rivalries in parts of Ibadan, particularly in semi-urban and underserved areas. Such rivalries, often marked by the exchange of dangerous weapons and gang-style confrontations, were prevalent in past decades but had seen a decline in recent years. However, recent events suggest a troubling return of the trend.
Community leaders and education stakeholders have called for renewed efforts to address the root causes of student violence, including increased security in and around schools, conflict resolution programs, and greater parental involvement in students’ activities.
Post a Comment