Tension has erupted in Taabaa community, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, following allegations that the paramount ruler subjected female students of Government Comprehensive High School, Taabaa, to forced virginity tests.
The school management has condemned the alleged practice, describing it as a violation of the dignity of the girl-child.
Daily Trust reports that in a petition dated October 12, 2026, the school's management accused the paramount ruler of Taabaa, HRH Mene M.S.K. Nule, of allegedly forcing virginity tests on female students, invading the school premises and taking over the school farm.
The petition called on the Rivers State Ministry of Education to investigate the allegations, which the management claimed had persisted for about seven years.
However, Nule denied forcing students to undergo medical virginity tests, but admitted conducting annual roll calls to identify students who claimed to be virgins and encourage them to abstain from sexual activities until they completed their education.
The monarch said he began the exercise in 2020 after receiving reports that some teachers were allegedly sexually molesting female students.
He explained that he regularly visited the school with his team and asked students who were still virgins to stand up. According to him, only one female student responded when he first conducted the exercise.
“I always speak to them on the need to focus on their education and not indulge in early sexual activities. I always carry out these activities annually and by 2025, we got four students who stood up as virgins and I rewarded them, the students, not their parents, with N20,000 each,” he said.
Nule also admitted warning students and teachers, including through what he described as subtle threats, that he would go after teachers allegedly molesting students.
He claimed the warnings caused several teachers to leave the school out of fear, while insisting that his interventions were intended to protect students and improve the school's performance.
The monarch, however, denied taking any student to a health centre for virginity testing.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, YEAC-Nigeria, has condemned the alleged practice, describing it as a grave violation of the rights and dignity of the girl-child if established.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the group said the allegations raised concerns about possible violations of the Child Rights Act and the Rivers State Child Rights Law, which prohibit degrading treatment of children.
The organisation called on the relevant authorities to establish an independent fact-finding committee to investigate the matter and ensure accountability.
The Rivers State Government has also confirmed that it has commenced an investigation to establish the facts surrounding the allegations.
The government said it would take appropriate action, including referring the matter to relevant authorities, against any person or organisation found culpable.
The Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Education, Dr Mina Tele Ikuru, condemned reports of alleged forced virginity testing in the school and other schools across the state.
Ikuru urged school authorities to uphold the highest standards of child protection, warning against subjecting students to degrading, coercive or invasive practices under the guise of cultural traditions, scholarship programmes, disciplinary measures or community development initiatives.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, ASP Agabe Blessing Kaborlo, requested that a message be sent to her, promising to make inquiries and respond.
However, she had yet to respond as of the time of filing this report.
Tension in Rivers over forced virginity tests on schoolgirls