The punishment was barbaric, and would not be tolerated, Ogun state police spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi said.

He confirmed the arrest of the principal, proprietor, usually a reference to the school owner or deputy principal, and a teacher.

Attack

A policeman who saw the children being flogged with horsewhips on a cross tried to intervene but was allegedly attacked by the proprietor of the privately owned Metorite Standard School.

The policeman called for back-up and got the proprietor arrested.

A picture of one of the victims has been posted on Twitter: