Excel College, Ejigbo, has issued a response to a viral video showing former students drinking wine and smoking inside its hostel.
Following the video’s circulation in September, the Lagos State Government, through the Ministries of Education and Youth & Social Development, along with the Lagos State Police Command, launched an investigation into the matter.
In a statement signed by the director, Dr. Dele Oke, and released on Saturday, the school noted, “While we confirm that these incidents happened in the school hostel, the facts are stated below.”
The institution explained that the first video was recorded on May 11, when a parent visited with non-alcoholic wine and snacks to celebrate her son’s final birthday in secondary school.
“A parent, who arrived about 7pm, pleaded to be granted access to her son as it was his last birthday to be celebrated in Secondary School. The parent brought non-alcoholic wine and snacks, and her phone was used to make a recording of her son and his friends popping and drinking the wine,” the statement read.
That video was later circulated in a class WhatsApp group.
The second clip, the school said, took place in April 2025 during Holiday Extension Classes for graduating SS3 students, when some were caught experimenting with smoking in a game called “pass and puff.”
The college added, “While phones are banned in the school, SS3 students in the hostel were permitted to intermittently have access to their phones to check updates about their UTME centres.”
A concerned parent who came across the video reported it in June, prompting the school to act. Both students and Housemasters were questioned, leading to disciplinary action.
“Upon conclusion of this internal investigation, which ascertained that indeed the incident occurred in the hostel premises, the Housemasters were issued stringent warning letters for dereliction of duty and forfeiture of their termly allowance,” the statement said.
The students involved were expelled from the hostel and excluded from the 2025 graduation ceremony. However, they were later allowed to sit for the NECO exams after expressing remorse and with parental undertakings.
The school stressed that preventive measures have since been put in place, including relocating the SS3 reading room and increasing staff oversight.
“Ahead of resumption for the 2025/2026 session, the Management of Excel College made some structural changes within the hostels, such as relocating the SS3 reading room to a more accessible and open area within the hostel.
“Management also held several meetings with teachers, counsellors, and particularly the Housemasters and mistresses to increase the frequency of walk rounds, increase surveillance against bullying and peer pressure, ensure strict adherence to visiting hours, and improve access to counselling sessions,” the statement said.
On the ongoing investigation, the school assured that it is cooperating with the authorities.
“All documentary evidence, including the expulsion and warning letters issued to the students, has been submitted to the authorities. The parents of the implicated ex-students, some of the ex-students themselves, and representatives of the PTA Executives of Excel College have also been available to provide clarity and further information as required to ensure full transparency,” it added.
Dr. Oke concluded, “We acknowledge the concerns of Nigerians in this matter and remain resolute in our commitment to maintain excellence with integrity, both in words and actions.”
The post Excel College responds to viral video of students drinking, smoking appeared first on Vanguard News.
