Final-year students of Gyutiev Model College in Saghev Ward, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, have reportedly set fire to the house of their principal, Mr. Isaac Yina. The incident happened early on Friday, June 27, 2025.
The students were angry over claims that Mr. Yina failed to register them for the 2025 NECO examinations after collecting ₦85,000 each from 178 students — a total of over ₦15 million. The NECO Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) is a crucial test required for admission into higher institutions in Nigeria.
Reports say the students only discovered the truth about their inability to sit for the examinations when it was already too late. This made the students and their parents angry, until their anger boiled over and resulted in the destruction of property, including the principal’s house.
While some of the people who heard about the incident feel sorry for the students and understand why they are upset, others believe burning down the principal’s house was too much.
“Yes, they have a reason to be angry, but burning someone’s house is not the right way to handle it,” said one worried resident. The Benue State Police Command has not confirmed receiving an official report on the matter. Police spokesperson Udeme Edet stated that investigations will commence once the incident is officially reported. Something like this has happened before in Benue State. In 2021, students at Government Secondary School in Tse-Agberagba were angered by problems with WAEC registration, and they burned down their school in protest.
