Four principals arrested, six demoted, six on interrogation for extortion in Delta

Worried by the litany of complaints and petitions from parents and guardians of secondary schools’ students across the state on the alleged sale of result and other sharp practices by teachers, the Delta State Government has taken steps to bring those behind the act to book.

While it revealed that four principals were recently arrested, six demoted and six others under interrogation, the State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Barr. Chiedu Ebie, told our reporter that government’s  quick responses to the allegations and petitions raised by the parents/guardians have started paying-off adding that the suspects (names withheld) have been arrested and would face the law while those being interrogated would be subjected to thorough investigations to ascertain their level of involvement.

Instructively, parents/guardians across the state have alleged extortion from their ward ranging from N10, 800 each if they must get good result; they petitioned the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to as a matter of urgency look into it. Some of the parents/guardians who spoke to our reporter in Asaba, accused majority of the secondary schools’ principals of the illicit activities, starting that the alleged extortion act had over times dealt painful blows on them.

One of the parents, Mrs. Esther Illoba, who spoke in tears to our reporter said:  “My son came home demanding for N10, 000 to give to the principal in one of the schools (name withheld) for his result, and I asked the principal, he gave inexplicable reasons”.

Investigations revealed that principals of notable secondary schools within Asaba and its environs, allegedly issue results to average  students for N10, 000 each to enable them change their schools to others.

But this act, one of the principals who did not want his name in the print, dispelled as untrue, insisting that the allegations were figments of the parents/guardians’ imagination.

Further investigation revealed that one of the schools, (name withheld) is situated along Nnebisi road before Inter-bau where the principal (name withheld) is allegedly said to be extorting money from unsuspecting students for unofficial school activities.

But in a swift reaction, the commissioner confirmed that petition was received against the school principal, disclosing that investigation was ongoing to ascertain the claims of the petitioners.

His words: “Government is investigating many allegations against most of the principals, we are taking steps to ensure we put an end to such illicit practices if any; anybody, I mean principals found wanting, will be shown the way out, the ones arrested would face the law, this administration has zero tolerance for fraud,” he said disclosing that six school heads were demoted for extortion in one of the secondary schools in Delta Central.

A female teacher who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity admitted the illegal fee collection in her school where she teaches, adding that the act had eaten deep into the fabrics of the school heads.