In the early hours of Tuesday, 35 students from Fakunle Comprehensive High School in Osogbo, Osun State, were sent to the hospital after breathing in tear gas shot by mobile police officers.
According to Vanguard, the mobile police officers were performing morning drills at the 39 Squadron Division, which is located across from the school grounds in the Powerline area along the Osogbo-Ikirun route.
A teacher at the school, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed that more than 35 pupils passed out after breathing the gas.
“We hurriedly rushed about 13 of them to a private hospital around Aderin while O’Ambulance took others to Uniosun Teaching Hospital,” he claimed.
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While confirming the development, Adelani Adetoro, permanent secretary of the Osun State Ministry of Education, claimed that everything was under control.
Speaking through the Information Officer of the ministry, Roseline Olawuni, Adetoro said: “The tear gas shot during mobile policemen drill affected the students in the school and were quickly carried to hospitals for treatment. I can assure the public that the situation is under control.”
Also, Osun Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, said the incident was not deliberate, adding that the policemen have been told to stop that type of drill around the area.
“The situation is regrettable. The tear gas was not shot into the school,” she said.
Similarly, Head of Operations, Osun Ambulance Services, Arowosafe Elizabeth, said the rescue team got to the school within five minutes of the incident and evacuated 11 students from the school premises to the hospital.
She said: “We moved 11 patients, six to Uniosun Teaching Hospital and the others were taken to Spring Hospital near the school because before we got there the school authority had already taken the students to a private hospital. You know we cannot just disagree with them because the lives of the students are so important to us.
“When the Spring Hospital was occupied, we moved the remaining students to Uniosun Teaching Hospital. We have 11 at Uniosun Teaching Hospital and the remaining students are at Spring Hospital. In all, about 35 students were rushed to the hospitals, according to the information given to us.”
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