Several students collapsed yesterday May 27 during the Children’s Day celebration at the Dr Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City , Edo state. after reportedly inhaling tear gas said to have been fired by a yet-to-be-identified security man.
The students were said to have been rushed to the Edo Specialist Hospital for medical attention.
According to reports, trouble started when some male students at the ceremony began making advances at some of the female students from another school, a development that attracted the attention of bouncers stationed at the stadium, who rebuked the male students. The rebuked students allegedly regrouped and attacked the bouncers, leading to a confrontation within the crowded area.
A parent who witnesed the incident claimed that while attempting to control the male students, a bouncer fired a teargas canister in an area occupied by a large number of students, leading to some students reportedly fainting after inhaling the substance.
Following the incident, students, teachers and parents reportedly scampered for safety, leading to many students, especially females, sustaining injuries.
In a statement released last night, Edo State Government rejected the “sensational interpretations, spins, twists, and misinformation” that were, according to it, dubiously orchestrated to give the government a bad name.
The statement, signed by Dr Patrick Ebojele, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okpebholo, blamed the incident on the large turnout of students at the stadium.
“The stadium was filled to capacity with thousands of excited children who came to participate in the day’s activities. The turnout was unprecedented. All the entrances into the facility were opened for children to access the stadium.
Some excited children resorted to unruly behaviour at one of the gates, an incident that led to some kind of stampede, which necessitated one of the bouncers to deploy the use of tear gas to disperse them. In the course of the pandemonium that ensued, few students sustained injuries.
The Deputy Governor, Rt Hon Dennis Idahosa, who was physically present at the stadium, rose to the challenge immediately, assisting children with first aid; and those requiring further care were taken to the Edo Specialist Hospital, where they received appropriate medical attention and are now safely back home with their families.
The Edo State Government has already authorised investigations into the incident, while the bouncer involved is presently being interrogated by the police to ascertain the immediate or remote cause of the incident. The government wishes to restate its commitment to the safety and security of all, including our children.
We, however, call on social media users to refrain from unverified narratives that could cause unnecessary panic.
Isolated incidents at large gatherings, while regrettable, do not diminish Governor Okpebholo’s commitment to child safety and well-being.
The governor’s unparalleled investment in education is the reason for the huge attendance by students of different schools in the state to celebrate Children’s Day.
We thank the security personnel, medical staff and volunteers for their swift response and dedication to duty. Their immediate response helped to douse the tension,” the statement explained.