Certain Nigerians have expressed outrage over suspected discrimination against Nigerians at the Indian Language School, Ilupeju, in Lagos.
This is as the Lagos State Government condemned the development and subsequently ordered a probe.
The Punch” reported on Wednesday that the Indian High Commission vowed to sanction the workers at the school who refused The Punch correspondent access to the school facility for inquiries.
This followed online reports that the school was not admitting or welcoming Nigerians on its premises which prompted our correspondent to proceed to the school to investigate the claims.
While reacting to a post by @DejiAdesogan on Sunday, bordering on discrimination against Nigerians at an Abuja-based Chinese store, an X user @decommonroom shared his experience about the school.
He wrote, “The Indian school in Ilupeju only admits Indians. You need an Indian passport for enrollment.”
The Punch correspondent visited the school on Monday but was denied entry by security officials who claimed to be acting on instructions of a receptionist.
When the correspondent asked to make inquiries for his uncle who had two kids and would like to enrol them in the school, one of the security men asked, “But that your uncle is an Indian man?”
They said as a Nigerian, they (the management) cannot attend to you. So the person should come, the Indian person,” another security man added, saying that was the response of an unidentified administrative worker, said to be an Indian.
An email sent to the principal of the school, Sonali Gupta, seeking a reaction was not responded to on Tuesday. A reminder was also sent by our correspondent on Wednesday with no response as of the time of filing this report.It was however gathered that the school is primarily meant for Indian wards where they get accustomed with Indian style of learning and traditions.
Some Facebook users who commented on The PUNCH investigation expressed dissatisfaction over discrimination against Nigerians.
A Facebook user, Valentine Leo wrote, “Indians and Chinese are doing the most in this Nigeria. What’s the socio-economic advantage of these businesses in Nigeria to Nigerians?”
