A viral video from Warri, Delta State, has ignited debate over discipline, truancy and the limits of community intervention after a local youth leader was seen flogging secondary school students he found roaming the streets during school hours.

The boys, identified as students of Uwangue College, were in full school uniform when the youth leader confronted them along a busy street in Warri. In the footage, he orders them to gather under a shade and begins questioning why they are not in class.

The students, visibly uneasy, admit they had skipped school to visit a friend’s house where they cooked and ate rice before deciding to take a walk. Their explanation appears to anger the youth leader, who accuses them of wasting their future and squandering the sacrifices of their parents.

He then removes his belt and flogs each of them in turn, insisting that the punishment is meant to correct them before it is too late. Onlookers can be heard reacting in the background as the boys take turns stepping forward to receive strokes, some flinching and pleading.

In the video, the youth leader reflects on his own life, saying he regrets not taking his education seriously and does not want the boys to repeat his mistakes. He tells them that his current struggles are a direct result of his failure to remain focused in school.

The incident has sharply divided opinion online. Some commenters praise the youth leader for intervening where they say parents and schools have failed, arguing that firm discipline is necessary to curb rising truancy and juvenile delinquency.

Others condemn the flogging as abusive and outdated, insisting that only parents, guardians or school authorities have the right to administer discipline. Critics argue that corporal punishment in public, especially when filmed and shared, can humiliate children and cause lasting psychological harm.

The video has also renewed discussion about the pressures facing students in public schools, including overcrowded classrooms, weak supervision and limited counseling support. While many agree that truancy is a serious concern, there is little consensus on whether public flogging by non-relatives is an acceptable response.

As the clip continues to circulate, it has become a flashpoint in a broader national conversation about how communities should balance discipline, children’s rights and the responsibility to safeguard young people’s futures.