Excel College, Ejigbo, Lagos, has confirmed two incidents of drinking and smoking by its students in the school hostel, leading to disciplinary actions, including expulsions, sanctions against housemasters, and new reforms to tighten hostel supervision.
The confirmation, contained in a statement signed by the school’s Director, Dr. Dele Oke, on Saturday, followed the circulation of viral videos that raised public concerns about alleged moral lapses within the institution.
According to Oke, the first video was recorded on May 11, 2025, when a parent brought snacks and non-alcoholic wine to celebrate her son’s last birthday in secondary school.
The moment, filmed on the parent’s phone, later found its way to a class WhatsApp group and was misinterpreted as an alcohol party.
The second incident occurred in April 2025 during Holiday Extension Classes. Recently graduated SS3 students were captured experimenting with smoking in a game known as “pass and puff.”
The management said after an internal investigation, the implicated students were expelled from the hostel and barred from attending the 2025 graduation ceremony.
However, they were later permitted to sit for the NECO examinations after they expressed remorse and signed undertakings with their parents.
Oke added that the Housemasters on duty were found negligent and were issued warning letters and made to forfeit their term allowances.
“Management is deeply concerned about the incidents. While the students involved faced expulsion from the hostel and exclusion from the graduation, the supervising Housemasters were sanctioned for dereliction of duty. We have since taken far-reaching steps to prevent a recurrence,” he said.
As part of the reforms, the school said it had relocated the SS3 reading room to a more open area, increased staff monitoring, enforced stricter visiting hours, and intensified counselling sessions to check peer pressure and bullying.
Oke also disclosed that the school had submitted all documentary evidence, including expulsion and warning letters, to the Lagos State Government, Ministries of Education and Youth & Social Development, as well as the police, assuring full cooperation with ongoing inquiries.
“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 director added.
The statement further revealed that meetings had been held with teachers, counsellors, parents, and hostel staff ahead of the new academic session to strengthen surveillance and restore confidence in the college’s standards.
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