NAF probes death of student as family demands justice

Nigerian Air Force authorities have commenced investigation into the death of the Assistant Head Boy of Air Force Secondary School in Kaduna, Felix Blaise.

The deceased allegedly died after some Senior Secondary Three (SS3) students of the school tortured him, prompting his family to demand justice.

The Guardian learnt that the incident occurred in the dormitory of the school at Air Force Base in Mando, Kaduna. It was gathered that the 15-year-old’s family and church community believed his death was linked to bullying and torture by the senior students.

Blaise, whose remains have been deposited at a mortuary, was reportedly summoned by the seniors to their room under the pretext of punishing him.

Although the Nigerian Air Force authorities said they were investigating the circumstances that led to Blaise’s death, his family church, Lux Terra Chaplaincy, Abuja, alleged that the student was electrocuted by two yet-to-be identified SS3 students.

While speaking to journalists in Kaduna yesterday, a member of the deceased’s family, Mr Paul, who made the call on behalf of the family, said Blaise was his nephew and an orphan who lost his parents in 2013.

He said the best the management of the school and the Nigerian Air Force could do to honour the deceased was to intensify efforts and unravel what led to his death.

Until his death, Blaise was an active member of Lux Terra Chaplaincy. Paul said: “We lost one of the church’s sons on Wednesday. Blaise was a super intelligent and brave 15 year-old SS2 student of Air Force Comprehensive School in Kaduna. He was the Assistant Head Boy. One would think he had crossed the stage of bullying but no. This son of ours was electrocuted to death by two SS3 boys. It has been a very painful time for us at Lux Terra.

“Bullying is real. And this happened to us. The Air Force said they are investigating, so we await the reports on this. We all know that if this was a private school, it would have been shut the day it happened.”

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force expressed sadness over the incident. In a statement, the spokesperson, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, said: “The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan 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 June 19, 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. Be assured, this matter is receiving the utmost urgency it deserves. We won’t rest until it is unraveled.”