Several students were rushed to the Edo Specialist Hospital on Wednesday after a Children’s Day celebration at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium descended into chaos following a stampede linked to the use of pepper spray by bouncers.
The event, organised by the Edo State Ministry of Education, reportedly turned rowdy after some male students allegedly harassed female students during the celebration.
According to reports, the male students, said to be from Ihogbe College, made persistent advances towards female students at the venue, attracting the attention of security personnel stationed at the stadium.
The bouncers reportedly confronted and rebuked the students, but the situation later escalated when the students regrouped and allegedly attacked the security officials.
In an attempt to restore order, one of the bouncers deployed pepper spray in a crowded section of the stadium. The substance reportedly affected several students, with many fainting after inhaling it.
The incident triggered panic among students, teachers and parents, who scrambled for safety as confusion spread across the venue. Several people were injured during the stampede that followed.
Videos from the scene showed affected students lying on the floor at the hospital’s waiting area while nurses attended to them after they were transported from the stadium in ambulances.
Confirming the development, Patrick Ebojele, chief press secretary to the Edo State governor, said the individual who used the pepper spray had been detained.
He added that most of the affected students had been discharged from the hospital, while two others remained under observation.
“The two students are not seriously injured. Doctors want to observe them overnight. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education is still at the hospital. The man who used pepper spray has been detained,” Ebojele said.
He also dismissed claims that the incident was as severe as portrayed in some reports.
“The incident did not happen the way it is being exaggerated. All modalities were put in place to ensure the children enjoy their day.”
