A teacher at Soun High School, Mr Fatai Adegoke, has died after being brutally attacked by his students while attempting to stop them from gambling during school hours.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred after Mr Adegoke confronted a group of students engaged in gambling within the classroom.

The confrontation reportedly escalated when the students turned violent, beating the teacher and inflicting multiple injuries, including broken limbs.

He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital but later succumbed to the injuries he sustained in the assault.

In a statement issued by a group of concerned educators, the late teacher was described as “a dedicated and disciplined professional whose life was cut short in the line of duty.”

“With deep pain and righteous indignation, we mourn the tragic and avoidable death of Mr Fatai Adegoke, a teacher who was attacked by his own students while trying to stop them from gambling during school hours.

This horrifying act is not just an assault on one man; it is an attack on the entire teaching profession,” the statement read.

The group called on the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, the Teaching Service Commission, TESCOM, and law enforcement authorities to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

They also urged that parents of the culprits be held accountable for failing to instill discipline in their wards.

Efforts to reach the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, for confirmation were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, students involved are reportedly in hiding, fueling public outrage across the community.

The tragedy has renewed calls for stronger protection for teachers and safer learning environments nationwide.

A similar incident occurred in 2023 at Alihame Mixed Secondary School, Agbor, Delta State, where a teacher died after being flogged by a student’s father.

According to police spokesperson Bright Edafe, the student and his friends had stolen two kegs of palm wine from a shop. After being punished by the school, the boy’s father, **Nnajiofor Nweke, stormed the school with a cane and attacked teachers.

“On 18th October 2023, the suspect, Nnajiofor Nweke, whose son and others stole two kegs of palm wine, came to the school in protest and started flogging teachers. One of the teachers slumped and died,” Edafe said.

The suspect was arrested and transferred to the state criminal investigation department for a suspected case of murder.

What steps should schools take to curb violence and gambling among students? Share your views in the comment section.