A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has ordered Louisville Girls Secondary School in Gwagwalada to pay N100 million in damages for failing to take proper care of a 9-year-old student who died. The court found the school guilty of negligence, which led to the tragic death of Kamzie Ikpeatusim.

Kamzie’s father, Mr. Ifeanyi Ikpeatusim, filed the lawsuit against the school, claiming that the institution’s failure to provide adequate medical care contributed to his daughter’s death.

Kamzie had fallen ill shortly after starting as a boarding student at the school in September 2017. She became seriously ill by October 2 and passed away a few days later.

In the court ruling, Justice Sylvanus Oriji confirmed that the school acted negligently by not responding to Kamzie’s medical needs quickly or properly. He also awarded N300,000 for the cost of the lawsuit and a 10% interest on the N100 million damages, starting from April 8 until the full amount is paid.

Justice Oriji expressed that while no amount of money could bring back Kamzie, the case led to a positive change at the school. The school improved its sickbay and now has doctors available twice a day to care for students. The court acknowledged these changes as a meaningful step toward making amends for the tragedy.

Though Kamzie’s family had requested that the school name a structure after her, the court believed the school’s improvements to its medical facilities were a better tribute to Kamzie’s memory.