Rivers school proprietress arraigned for assaulting teenage student

The proprietress of Phronesis Nursery, Primary and Secondary School in Rivers State, Nigeria, has been formally charged with conspiracy and assault occasioning harm. Mrs. Orjiugo Udeala appeared before a Magistrate’s Court following allegations of assaulting a 16-year-old male student.

The charge sheet details that on June 8, 2026, Udeala and an accomplice, who is still at large, allegedly conspired to commit the felony. The second count specifies that the proprietress unlawfully assaulted the student, identified as Gift Nwala Onyeche, by caning him severely across his body and striking his ear and head with a fist, causing him harm.

Udeala entered a plea of not guilty when the charges were read. The presiding Magistrate, Charles Wobisike Akpeh, granted her bail in the sum of N100,000, requiring one surety who must reside within the court's jurisdiction. The case has been adjourned to August 10, 2026, for the next hearing.

Human rights group Lawyers Watch for Justice International Initiative has been observing the case since the initial police investigation through to the court arraignment, indicating a focus on the legal proceedings and the student's welfare.