Dowen College: I will not bury my son until I get justice — grieving father

By Ajuma Edwina Ameh

The father of Sylvester Oromoni Jnr, the deceased student of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, who was allegedly tortured to death by his schoolmates, has said he will not bury him until justice is served. 

Persecondnews.com recalls that 12-year-old Oromoni Jnr died on November 30, 2021, from injuries he sustained after he was allegedly tortured by some senior senior students of his school for allegedly refusing to join a cult group.

However, authorities of the school dismissed the claim, stating that he only sustained injuries while playing football with his schoolmates.

The hashtag #JusticeForSylvester has been trending since Oromoni death amid widespread condemnation across the social media platforms.

Celebrating his son’s posthumous birthday on Saturday, December 4, the father insisted that the teachers, security men and other officials of the school must explain the mysterious death of his son.

Speaking at the posthumous birthday celebration, which was marked with two cakes, a large picture frame of the late Sylvester Omoni Jnr, with over 100 people , the father said: “I cannot bury him until I get justice, until I get to the end of the matter.

“Even if it takes two or three years, we would be going on. I pray God keeps us alive

Meanwhile the Lagos State Government has sealed Dowen College over the death Oromoni Jnr.

It said the indefinite closure of the school would continue pending the outcome of an investigation into the death.

The Lagos State Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, has also ordered the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, to take over the investigation immediately.

In another development, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Sunday urged foreign missions to deny entry to the five students of Dowen College alleged to have bullied and beaten Oromoni Jnr to death.

NANS President said this in a statement issued on Sunday titled, ‘Sylvester Oromoni’s Death: “NANS calls for immediate arrest of school principal, house master…urges foreign missions in Nigeria to ensure suspects do not sneak foreign into their countries.

“We equally call for the immediate arrest and interrogations of names of students mentioned in the attack that led to the eventual death of Sylvester irrespective of how highly placed their parents are.

“There must not be any sacred cow as all of them must be arrested, adequately interrogated, and charged if found culpable.

“By this press statement, we put on red alert foreign missions in Nigeria to deny entry to the following students who had been fingered in the attack leading to the death of Sylvester Oromoni until the investigation is concluded.

“NANS will follow this case religiously in our attempt to be the voice of the voiceless and ensure a level playing ground at the cause of the investigation irrespective of how influential and wealthy the families of the purported culprits are.