Headline

Teacher Flogs Pupil Over Homework, Victim Vomits, Dies

Published

3 years ago

May 25, 2022

A Junior Secondary School 2 pupil of Simple Faith Schools, Agbara, Lagos State, Emmanuel Amidu, has died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Surulere.

The victim’s father, Akinola Amidu, claimed that the 12-year-old was flogged by a teacher when he went to school on Thursday, May 12, 2022.

He said his son started vomiting shortly after the beating and was rushed to a hospital, where he gave up the ghost.

The distraught father alleged that the school management was covering up his son’s death and protecting the mathematics teacher, one Steven, who allegedly flogged Emmanuel for not completing his assignment.

He said, “I was at home that Thursday because I was on leave. I recall that Emmanuel asked me for money to buy a new exercise book and I gave him N500 to buy the book and give the remaining change to his sister.

“Later that day, I was called by the management of the school that Emmanuel was vomiting. Meanwhile, this was a boy who left home without any health issue. I had to go to the school and we moved him to a hospital.

“I later learnt that the whole thing started after their class teacher, Mr Steven, beat the whole of his class for not completing their mathematics assignment.

“Emmanuel was actually using my phone torchlight to do his assignment a day before, but I had to collect the phone from him and his sister because I needed to be in contact with the office. We had issues with our electricity at home.

“It was at LUTH that I lost my son. Meanwhile, the management of the school quickly ran to the Morogbo Police Station at Agbara to report that my son died from vomiting.

“How can somebody just die from vomiting if nothing triggers it? The management of the school is trying to protect the teacher.”

Akinola, 45, demanded the arrest and prosecution of the teacher, as he urged the state government and the police to give the family justice.

Emmanuel’s 13-year-old sister, Rachael, told PUNCH Metro that her brother vomited after he was beaten.

She said, “I was called by our English teacher that my brother was not feeling fine and he did not eat and had been sleeping.

“His friend told me that they were beaten for not doing their sums in mathematics and after that he was just sleeping and vomiting.”

The school Principal, Adetayo Akanji, described the incident as unfortunate.

He said, “I was there when Emannuel died on Friday and it was unfortunate that it happened this way. Yes, Steven flogged the whole class for not doing their sums, but not with the intention to hurt them.

“Some hours after that, he (Emmanuel) placed his head on his desk and he started vomiting, after which water was poured on his head.

“When he started to vomit, the proprietor called me and we took the boy to the hospital. In fact, the father joined us when he was taken to LUTH where he and I were running around to get prescribed drugs for him. But before we came back, he had given up. Our school reported the matter at the Morogbo Police Station.”

The school proprietor was contacted on his telephone number, but his wife, Fola Ashaka, who picked up the call, said PUNCH Metro’s enquires on the matter had been forwarded to the appropriate quarters.

She then cut off the call.

She said, “Your message sent earlier to me has been received and it has been sent to the appropriate quarters.”

Efforts to speak to the teacher involved in the incident were abortive, as neither the principal nor the proprietor’s wife was willing to provide his contact.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the incident was not reported.

“I have called the DPO of Morogbo Police Station and he confirmed that no such case was reported there,” he added.

In 2020, a secondary school teacher in Isawo, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos, identified only as Emmanuel, was reported to have beaten a pupil to death over the student’s inability to answer a question in class.

The state police command had said that the matter was also not reported.

A lawyer, Toyin Taiwo, said the Lagos State Government had prohibited flogging of children in schools.

“Children have rights and they must be respected. This is one of the reasons for training programmes organised for teachers, parents and guardians on how to handle children,” she added.

According to the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, all forms of abuse of children are criminal.

She said, “This is evident in the enactment of the Child Rights Law which came into force in 2007 but amended in 2015. Since then, the state has gone on to formulate policies that pertain to safeguarding and protecting children, especially in child centres, institutions and schools.

“To this end, all forms of child abuse, including physical or sexual, are criminal in nature and the full wrath of the law would be unleashed on anybody found culpable.”

PUNCH.

Headline

Antitrust Trial: US Asks Court To Break Up Google’s Ad Business

Published

9 hours ago

September 22, 2025

Editor

Google faces a fresh federal court test on Monday as US government lawyers ask a judge to order the breakup of the search engine giant’s ad technology business.

The lawsuit is Google’s second such test this year, following a similar government demand to split up its empire that was shot down by a judge earlier this month.

Monday’s case focuses specifically on Google’s ad tech “stack” — the tools that website publishers use to sell ads and that advertisers use to buy them.

In a landmark decision earlier this year, Federal Judge Leonie Brinkema agreed with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) that Google maintained an illegal grip on this market.

Monday’s trial is set to determine what penalties and changes Google must implement to undo its monopoly.

According to filings, the US government will argue that Google should spin off its ad publisher and exchange operations. The DOJ will also ask that after the divestitures are complete, Google be banned from operating an ad exchange for 10 years.

Google will argue that the divestiture demands go far beyond the court’s findings, are technically unfeasible, and would be harmful to the market and smaller businesses.

“We’ve said from the start that DOJ’s case misunderstands how digital advertising works and ignores how the landscape has dramatically evolved, with increasing competition and new entrants,” said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s Vice President of Regulatory Affairs.

In a similar case in Europe, the European Commission, the EU’s antitrust enforcer, earlier this month fined Google 2.95 billion euros ($3.47 billion) over its control of the ad tech market.

Brussels ordered behavioral changes, drawing criticism that it was going easy on Google as it had previously indicated that a divestiture may be necessary.

This remedy phase of the US trial follows a first trial that found Google operated an illegal monopoly. It is expected to last about a week, with the court set to meet again for closing arguments a few weeks later.

The trial begins in the same month that a separate judge rejected a government demand that Google divest its Chrome browser, in an opinion that was largely seen as a victory for the tech giant.

That was part of a different case, also brought by the US Department of Justice, in which the tech giant was found responsible for operating an illegal monopoly, this time in the online search space.

Instead of a major breakup of its business, Google was required to share data with rivals as part of its remedies.

The US government had pushed for Chrome’s divestment, arguing the browser serves as a crucial gateway to the internet that brings in a third of all Google web searches.

Shares in Google-parent Alphabet have skyrocketed by more than 20 percent since that decision.

Judge Brinkema has said in pre-trial hearings that she will closely examine the outcome of the search trial when assessing her path forward in her own case.

These cases are part of a broader bipartisan government campaign against the world’s largest technology companies. The US currently has five pending antitrust cases against such companies.

AFP

Headline

Google Faces Court Battle Over Breakup Of Ad Tech Business

Published

9 hours ago

September 22, 2025

Editor

Google faces a fresh federal court test on Monday as US government lawyers ask a judge to order the breakup of the search engine giant’s ad technology business.

The lawsuit is Google’s second such test this year after the California-based tech juggernaut saw a similar government demand to split up its empire shot down by a judge earlier this month.

Monday’s case focuses specifically on Google’s ad tech “stack” — the tools that website publishers use to sell ads and that advertisers use to buy them.

In a landmark decision earlier this year, Federal Judge Leonie Brinkema agreed with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) that Google maintained an illegal grip on this market.
Monday’s trial is set to determine what penalties and changes Google must implement to undo its monopoly.

Google will argue that the divestiture demands go far beyond the court’s findings, are technically unfeasible, and would be harmful to the market and smaller businesses.

In a similar case in Europe, the European Commission, the EU’s antitrust enforcer, earlier this month fined Google 2.95 billion euros ($3.47 billion) over its control of the ad tech market.
Brussels ordered behavioral changes, drawing criticism that it was going easy on Google as it had previously indicated that a divestiture may be necessary.

The trial begins in the same month that a separate judge rejected a government demand that Google divest its Chrome browser, in an opinion that was largely seen as a victory for the tech giant.

That was part of a different case, also brought by the US Department of Justice, in which the tech giant was found responsible for operating an illegal monopoly, this time in the online search space.
Instead of a major breakup of its business, Google was required to share data with rivals as part of its remedies.

The US government had pushed for Chrome’s divestment, arguing the browser serves as a crucial gateway to the internet that brings in a third of all Google web searches.
Shares in Google-parent Alphabet have skyrocketed by more than 20 percent since that decision.

Judge Brinkema has said in pre-trial hearings that she will closely examine the outcome of the search trial when assessing her path forward in her own case.

These cases are part of a broader bipartisan government campaign against the world’s largest technology companies. The US currently has five pending antitrust cases against such companies.

Headline

Peru Anti-government Protesters Clash With Police

Published

1 day ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

Hundreds of anti-government protesters clashed with police in the Peruvian capital Lima on Saturday, throwing stones and sticks as officers fired tear gas on the demonstrators, AFP journalists reported.

The protest, organized by a youth collective called “Generation Z”, is part of growing social unrest in Peru against organized crime, corruption in public office, and a recent pension reform.

“Today, there is less democracy than before. It’s getting worse… because of fear, because of extortion,” said 54-year-old protester Gladys, who declined to give her last name.

Around 500 people gathered in the city center, under heavy police presence.

“Congress has no credibility, it doesn’t even have the approval of the people… It is wreaking havoc in this country,” said protester Celene Amasifuen.

The clashes broke out as demonstrators tried to approach executive and congressional buildings in Lima.

The radio station Exitosa said that its reporter and a cameraman were hit by pellets, commonly fired by law enforcement.

Police said at least three officers were wounded.

Approval ratings for President Dina Boluarte, whose term ends next year, have plummeted amid rising extortion and organized crime cases.

Several opinion polls show the government and conservative-majority Congress are seen by many as corrupt institutions.

This week, the legislature passed a law requiring young adults to join a private pension fund, despite many facing a precarious working environment.