The management of Hassanat Islamic College in Kwara State, which acting Principal, Samuel Prosper, was accused of abusing seven female students, has broken its silence on the matter.

Although the embattled principal has since gone underground with all his known phone numbers switched off, the Kwara State Government initially shut the school but reopened it hours after the school protested.

Speaking with City & Crime on Monday, the Chairman of the school’s management board, Mallam Aliyu Ishaq, expressed surprise at how the matter was handled by some sections of the media.

He said, “To us, the school is being targeted for reasons best known to them. If the principal alleged is the target, they should have contacted the management, which was never done. We don’t have any Ali Opeade as the acting principal. The police told us the matter was never reported to them. But the NSCDC has waded into it.

“Only two names mentioned among five of his alleged victims tallied with our students, and one has even graduated. They both denied having sex with him.”

He further said their last conversation with the embattled acting principal was a text message he sent to him from his hiding place which was obtained by our correspondent and reads thus:

“I am sorry for all that has happened. The shame was unbearable for me and that is why I left town three days ago. I admitted to what I did not do out of pressure and intense force. I failed to disclose this to the management. I am dying from inside and I need everyone to forgive my error. I shouldn’t have left, but due to the pressure from the press.”

Ishaq, who called for a thorough investigation into the matter, said, “I suspect he has issues with someone he has guilt with who may have had access to his phone.”

He described the suspect as hardworking and competent, adding that those qualities endeared him to the late proprietor who appointed him to head a Muslim school despite being a Christian.