The Lagos State Police Command and the Lagos State Government have opened investigations into a viral video showing some young adults suspected to be students of Excel College, Ejigbo, smoking, drinking, and dancing inside a hostel.
The footage, believed to have been recorded in April but resurfaced online this week, has triggered widespread outrage among parents and education stakeholders.
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Commissioner of Police Olohundare Jimoh has directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, to take over the probe from the Ejigbo Division, which earlier invited the school principal for questioning.
In a statement on Thursday, police spokesperson in the police Lagos command Abimbola Adebisi said the principal, who also doubles as proprietor, explained that the students in the video had already graduated.
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However, the principal assured the police of the school’s cooperation.
“The command remains committed to ensuring peace, security, and orderliness throughout Lagos State,” Ms Adebisi said, stressing that the probe would establish the full circumstances and ensure accountability.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, condemned the conduct, describing it as unacceptable within the state’s education system.
“The state government views this incident with the utmost seriousness, as it goes against the values and moral discipline we seek to instill in our students,” Mr Alli-Balogun said in a statement.
He disclosed that the Ministry, through the Office of Education Quality Assurance, had dispatched a monitoring team to authenticate the video, identify the students involved, and determine the level of negligence on the part of school authorities.
Institutions found culpable, he warned, would face sanctions in line with state policies.
The incident has renewed concern about rising exposure of minors to drugs and alcohol in schools. Parents and stakeholders have called for stronger supervision, regular hostel inspections, and stricter enforcement of discipline.
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In the viral video, female students in school uniform were seen passing cigarettes to one another, with bottles suspected to contain alcohol placed nearby.
Both the police and the state government have assured the public that measures are being taken to prevent a recurrence and safeguard discipline across schools.
