Education
Teacher Dies After Student Prank Turns Tragic
A high school teacher in the United States has died after a prank by his students ended in tragedy outside his home in Georgia.
The teacher, Jason Hughes, 40, reportedly stepped outside his residence to confront students who were throwing toilet paper over trees as part of a prank. Authorities said Hughes had been aware of the planned joke and was waiting to catch the students in the act.
According to police, Hughes slipped and fell on the rain-soaked ground as he approached the students. In the confusion that followed, the students attempted to leave the scene in two separate vehicles. One of the cars accidentally ran over the teacher.
Emergency responders rushed Hughes to hospital, but he later died from his injuries.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as 18-year-old Jayden Ryan Wallace, has been charged with vehicular homicide. Wallace and four other students involved in the prank also face charges of criminal trespass and littering on private property.
However, Hughes’ family has appealed for the charges to be dropped.
In a statement to The New York Times, the teacher’s wife, Laura Hughes—who also teaches at the same high school—described her husband as a beloved educator who cared deeply about his students.
She said the family does not want the incident to destroy the lives of the young people involved.
“This is a terrible tragedy, and our family is determined to prevent another tragedy from occurring by ruining the lives of these students,” she said, adding that such an outcome would go against her husband’s lifelong commitment to supporting young people.
Meanwhile, members of the local community have set up a memorial outside the school where Hughes worked as a teacher, mentor and coach. School officials described him as a passionate educator who was widely respected by both students and colleagues.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident.
Students of a primary and comprehensive college in the Ogba area of Lagos have shared their terrifying experience after a section of a classroom block collapsed within the school premises on Monday.
The incident occurred around 11 a.m., sending panic across the school as students and teachers rushed for safety when the structure suddenly came down.
Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were recorded. However, the collapse caused confusion within the school compound as students hurriedly fled the area.
The affected building is located along Adudatu Street, behind County Hospital in the Aguda area of Ogba.
Officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service said the incident happened during a controlled demolition exercise on the already distressed building. Despite this explanation, some eyewitnesses described the moment as chaotic, with students screaming and running out of the premises.
A fire service official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, said the students had been evacuated from the building before the demolition began.
Some students, however, said they heard a loud cracking sound before the structure collapsed.
One of the students, Emmanuel, said he was in class when he suddenly heard the alarming sound.
“I was in class when I heard a loud cracking sound. The next thing we saw was dust everywhere. We were out for lunch when it happened and I ran quickly into another classroom block,” he said.
Another student, 14-year-old Blessing, said the collapse caused thick dust to fill the air, heightening panic among students.
“I thought the collapse might affect other classrooms, so I ran out of the school compound as fast as I could,” she said.
The school population is estimated to be between 600 and 800 students.
Following the incident, members of the state emergency response team secured the premises and restricted access to the affected area.
Residents in the neighbourhood said concerns had previously been raised about the condition of the building after parts of its roof reportedly began to fall off.
Shakiru Amodu of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that the building had earlier shown signs of structural distress and was marked for demolition.
According to him, all students had been evacuated before the demolition process began, which prevented casualties.
“The affected building had earlier shown signs of distress and was marked for demolition. All the students had been evacuated before the exercise began, so no one was injured and no life was lost,” Amodu said.
He added that the agency later secured the scene and restricted movement around the area.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the mobilisation of an additional 50,000 graduates for the 2026 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, in a move aimed at reducing the backlog of graduates awaiting national service.
The development was disclosed by the NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, during the commissioning of a remodelled clinic at the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja.
According to Nafiu, the approval forms part of the Federal Government’s efforts to address the growing number of Nigerian graduates waiting to be mobilised for the mandatory one-year national service. He explained that the additional slots were captured in the 2026 budget to ease the long waiting period experienced by many prospective corps members.
“With the new approval, the scheme plans to mobilise about 418,000 corps members in 2026,” Nafiu said, noting that the expansion reflects the increasing number of tertiary institutions and graduates across the country.
He explained that when the NYSC scheme began in 1973, fewer than a dozen institutions produced just over 2,000 corps members annually. However, the number has grown significantly, with more than 400 institutions now producing roughly 600,000 graduates every year.
The NYSC boss also highlighted factors responsible for mobilisation delays, including late submission of Senate-approved results by tertiary institutions and instances where some graduates decline mobilisation after being posted to certain states.
Nafiu assured that the scheme remains committed to the safety and welfare of corps members, noting that postings to high-risk areas are avoided, while deployments to sensitive states are restricted to major cities and state capitals.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, commended the NYSC leadership for prioritising the welfare of staff and corps members, adding that the Federal Government is also exploring additional safety measures, including insurance coverage for participants in the scheme.
The NYSC programme, established in 1973, was designed to promote national unity and integration by deploying Nigerian graduates to serve in states other than their states of origin
Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has approved the appointment of Professor Sunny Ijirhevwe Awhefeada as the new Vice-Chancellor of Southern Delta University, Ozoro.
Awhefeada, a renowned Professor of English and Literary Studies, was announced as the institution’s new helmsman in a move aimed at strengthening academic leadership and advancing the university’s development agenda.
The newly appointed Vice-Chancellor is widely respected in academic and literary circles. He is a fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors and a member of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, reflecting his contributions to scholarship and Nigerian literature.
Before his appointment, Awhefeada built a distinguished career as a lecturer and researcher, gaining recognition for his work in modern Nigerian literature and cultural studies. He also recently delivered the 117th inaugural lecture series at Delta State University, focusing on the evolution of Nigerian literary engagement.
According to reports, his appointment marks a new chapter for the university as it seeks to consolidate academic excellence, expand research output, and strengthen institutional development.
Reacting to the appointment, Awhefeada expressed gratitude to the Delta State Government for the opportunity to serve, pledging to build on the foundation laid by his predecessor and work with stakeholders to move the university to greater heights.
The appointment has been welcomed by academics and stakeholders across the Niger Delta, who believe his experience in scholarship, leadership, and public engagement will help shape the next phase of growth for Southern Delta University.