Thirty-five students from Fakunle Comprehensive High School, Power Line Area, Osogbo, were brought to hospitals yesterday after breathing a substance presumed to be tear gas shot by mobile police officers from MOPOL 39-Base, Osogbo.
The Mopol officers were said to be having their early morning training when the harmful chemical, purportedly launched into thin air, took a devastating effect on the scholars.
According to the report, a short while after the tear gas was launched, the students became unconscious and were rushed to nearby hospitals.
Speaking on the issue, Mrs. Arowosafe Elizabeth Olayemi, the head of Osun Ambulance Service, said 11 of the patients were rushed to Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, while others were receiving treatment at Spring Hospital, Aderin, Osogbo.
She said, “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 that we moved the remaining scholars 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.
Confirming the incident, the Osun State police command’s public relations officer, Yemisi Opalola, said the command regretted the action, adding that though it was a regular early morning exercise, the officers had been cautioned against the ugly incident repeating itself.
The Ministry of Education, which maintained that the situation was under control, added that there was no need for worry because all casualties had received prompt medical assistance.
