Tension has gripped Government Comprehensive High School (SNR), Taabaa, in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, following allegations that the community’s paramount ruler subjected female students to forced virginity tests.
The school’s management has condemned the alleged practice as an affront to the dignity and rights of the girl-child, while petitioning the Rivers State Ministry of Education to investigate the monarch over claims of forced virginity testing, invasion of the school premises and the takeover of the school farm.
The petition, dated October 12, 2026, accused the paramount ruler of Taabaa, HRH Mene M.S.K. Nule, of engaging in the alleged activities, which the school management claimed had been occurring for about seven years.
It called on the relevant authorities to investigate the allegations and take appropriate action.
The monarch, however, has denied subjecting students to medical virginity tests, although he acknowledged conducting what he described as annual roll calls to identify female students who said they were virgins and encourage them to abstain from sexual activity until they completed their education.
Nule said he began the exercise in 2020 after receiving reports that some teachers at the school were allegedly molesting female students.
According to him, he subsequently started visiting the school with his team to address the students and encourage them to protect themselves from sexual exploitation and concentrate on their studies.
He explained that during his first exercise, only one female student stood up in response to his request for students who were virgins to identify themselves.
The monarch said the number increased over the years, with four students reportedly identifying themselves as virgins in 2025.
He added that he rewarded the four students with ₦20,000 each, insisting that the money was given directly to the students rather than their parents.
“I always speak to them on the need to focus on their education and not indulge in early sexual activities. I always carry out these activities annually and by 2025, we got four students who stood up as virgins and I rewarded them, the students, not their parents, with N20,000 each,” he said.
Nule further claimed that he had warned teachers against sexually molesting students, alleging that his warnings, which included subtle threats against offenders, had caused some teachers to leave the school out of fear.
He maintained that his actions were intended to protect the students and improve the school’s environment, denying claims that he took them to a health centre for virginity testing.
The allegations have, however, raised concerns among education stakeholders and child-rights advocates over the protection of students, the limits of traditional authority within school premises and the need to uphold the dignity of female students.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) condemned the alleged practice, describing the claims, if established, as a grave violation of the rights and dignity of the girl-child.
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, the organisation said the alleged conduct raised serious concerns under the Child Rights Act and the Rivers State Child Rights Law, which protect children against degrading and dehumanising treatment.
The group called for an immediate and impartial investigation into the matter, urging the authorities to establish an independent fact-finding committee to determine what transpired at the school and identify anyone found to have violated the law.
It stressed the importance of ensuring that children were protected from coercive or invasive practices, irrespective of whether such activities were presented as cultural traditions or measures intended to promote discipline.
The Rivers State Government has confirmed that it has commenced an investigation into the report to establish the facts surrounding the allegations.
The government said it would take appropriate action, including referring the matter to relevant authorities, against any person or organisation found to have been involved in wrongdoing.
The Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Education, Dr Mina Tele Ikuru, condemned reports of alleged forced virginity testing involving female students at the school and warned against similar practices in any educational institution across the state.
Ikuru urged school authorities to maintain the highest standards of child protection and ensure that no student was subjected to degrading, coercive or invasive practices under the guise of cultural tradition, scholarship programmes, disciplinary measures or community development initiatives.
The ministry’s position underscores the responsibility of educational institutions to provide safe learning environments in which students’ rights, privacy and dignity are respected.
When contacted, the Rivers State Police Command spokesperson, ASP Agabe Blessing Kaborlo, requested that a message be sent to her, promising to make inquiries and respond to the allegations.
However, she had not provided a response as of the time of filing this report.
As investigations proceed, the central issues remain whether the alleged practices occurred, whether any student was subjected to coercion or invasive examinations, and whether the school’s premises and facilities were used without proper authorisation.
The outcome of the investigation is expected to clarify the circumstances surrounding the allegations and determine whether further action is warranted against anyone found responsible.
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