The State Commissioner for Education, Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, confirmed the heartbreaking news on Thursday, May 23, 2024. Reflecting on the tragedy, she said, "He was a boy…like any other, with hopes and aspirations. He went to school for a better future but met a gruesome death at the hands of the people who were supposed to help him achieve his life ambition."

Chuma-Udeh expressed profound sorrow and outrage, describing the teacher as a "quack" in an "illegal school" who bludgeoned Henry to death. "We mourn a life nipped in the bud! We mourn Henry Chukwuemeka Okonkwo! We mourn and we seek justice!" she declared, emphasizing the community's grief and the urgent need for accountability.