It’s been a very long, tough road but now, we have real hope that the horrors so many of us endured will be brought to the surface
Former pupils of Hillcrest School in Jos, Nigeria, have revived decades‑old allegations of sexual abuse by missionaries who worked at the institution. In December 2024, an alumni survivor group pushed for an independent probe after a former principal publicly confessed to molesting students.
The Zero Abuse Project is leading the investigation, funded by eight Christian mission agencies. Alumni say the abuse dates back to the school’s founding in 1942.
Letta Cartlidge, president of the Hillcrest Survivors Steering Committee, said, “It’s been a very long, tough road but now, we have real hope that the horrors so many of us endured will be brought to the surface.”
Investigators will examine whether Hillcrest School authorities or mission organizations knew of the abuse and how they handled reports. The Church of the Brethren and other denominations are providing funding and logistical support. The final report will remain under the sole editorial control of the Zero Abuse Project and may identify perpetrators if evidence supports it.