A short video has gone viral online as it showed the moments of four men flogging a teenage girl who was accused of drinking alcohol along with three other classmates.
According to several local sources, the head of the Quranic school in the western state of Kwara in Nigeria ordered the lashes against four students, who are believed to have had alcoholic drinks during a birthday party, despite the student's denial saying it was yoghurt.
#Nigeria Taliban-style flogging of Islamic student in Kwara, what is the difference between this and the way the Taliban treat their women in Afghanistan. @CatrionaLaing1. pic.twitter.com/XeRjevjvHK
— I am the chosen one to take on Fools (@chimbiko_jerome) October 10, 2021
Yet, the video stirred local and international backlash as the young girl was shown kneeling on the ground while four other students were hitting her repeatedly using sticks.
BBC reported that a conversation with the teenager's father showed that he had "encouraged" the head of the school to "carry out the punishment" against his daughter, saying "it is meant for disciplining her." However, the head of the school was arrested by Nigerian authorities several days later for the unlawful act.
I don't imagine, that I as a parent would knowingly and deliberately inflict harm on my own child. There's something fundamentally wrong with African parents who believe in physical harm as a way to reprimand their children. Such disgusting parenting. https://t.co/5YSEpm8E6u
— Makoti wa muJoni (@NthabeeC) October 11, 2021
Amongst responses condemning the content of the video, many Nigerian commentators linked the flogging act to the return of the extremist group Taliban to power in Afghanistan, saying that such actions have gained popularity following their political rise.
Written by Riham Darwish
