Thirty-five students of Fakunle Comprehensive High School, Power Line Area, Osogbo were rushed to hospitals for medical attention yesterday after inhaling a substance suspected to be teargas fired by mobile police officers, Stadium Area, attached to MOPOL 39-Base, Osogbo.
The officers were reported to be having their early morning drill when the offensive substance allegedly fired into thin air took its toll on the students.
It was gathered that not quite long after the teargas canisters were fired, some of the students became unconscious and were rushed to nearby hospitals for immediate medical attention.
LEADERSHIP learnt that the management of the school had to hurriedly close the school to prevent more students from becoming victims of the offensive and polluted air.
Commenting on the incident, the head of Osun Ambulance Service, Mrs Arowosafe Elizabeth Olayemi, said 11 patients were moved to Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo while others were taken to Spring Hospital, Aderin, Osogbo.
“Before we got there, the school authorities already took 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; so, we have to agree with them, it was when the Spring Hospital was occupied, we moved the remaining students to UNIOSUN.
“We have 11 at UNIOSUN 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,” she said.
Meanwhile, Osun State police command which confirmed the incident through its public relations officer, Yemisi Opalola, said the command regretted the action, adding that though it was a early morning routine exercise, the officers had been cautioned against future occurrence.
The Ministry of Education which claimed that the situation was under control added that there was no cause for alarm as all the victims had received medical attention promptly.
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