​Clerics Arrested for Torturing Pupils with Red-Hot Cutlass

OWO, ONDO STATE – In a chilling case of corporal punishment gone rogue, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ondo State Command, has apprehended two Islamic clerics for allegedly using a red-hot cutlass to torture their pupils.

​The suspects—identified as Adebodun Muideen (30) of Al-Balaagul-Mubeen Arabic & Islamic Centre, and Oladejo Musiliu (35) of Abdullah Arabic & Islamic Centre—were arrested following a tip-off regarding the extreme brutality meted out to two young boys under their care.

​The Incident

​The investigation began after a class teacher at the victims’ conventional school noticed multiple, deep-seated burn injuries on the children. The teacher alerted the Kids and Teen Resource Centre, a child rights advocacy group, which subsequently filed a formal report with the NSCDC.

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​According to the NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Daniel Aidamenbor, the ordeal began when one of the victims was found with a Vivo Android phone. When the boy could not provide a “convincing” explanation for how he acquired the device, he and a second boy were subjected to a “truth-finding” session that turned into a scene of horror.

​The suspects allegedly placed a cutlass into a raging fire until it was glowing red, then pressed the metal against the boys’ backs and buttocks to force a confession.

​Legal and Social Repercussions

​The victims, whose parents reside in Osun State, had been entrusted to the clerics specifically to learn the Quran alongside their regular education. Instead of a sanctuary of learning, the centers became sites of “heinous brutality,” according to investigators.

​”Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects have confessed to the act,” Aidamenbor stated on Friday. “Regardless of the justification, such acts of violence are criminal offenses. This is a total violation of the Child Rights Act and the Ondo State Child Protection Law.”

​The NSCDC confirmed that both Muideen and Musiliu remain in custody and will be charged to court for assault and child abuse once investigations are concluded.

​A Call for Vigilance

​Advocacy groups are using this incident to remind parents to conduct thorough due diligence on the guardians and centers where they leave their children. The Ondo State Government has reiterated its “zero-tolerance” policy regarding child maltreatment, vowing that the perpetrators will face the full weight of the law to serve as a deterrent to others.