COVID-19 Fumigation: Students of College of Health in Ekiti go on rampage, destroy properties worth hundreds of millions
Alfred Kayode, Ado Ekiti
Over One hundred students of the Ekiti State College of Health Sciences and Technology landed in the Emergency units of the State Specialist Hospital in Ijero, following an unauthorized Covid 19 fumigation of the college’s premises by men of the Federal Fire Services.
Investigation revealed that the fumigation which was performed during the school hours when the students were writing their exams was inhaled by some of them who collapsed and left others unconscious.
Reacting to this development ,the student went on rampage destroying properties worth millions of Naira which includes vehicles, Provost’s office, other offices in the school and setting up fire at the main gate as well as strategic points within the school.
Some of the staff of the college who spoke to Newsclickng.com under anonymity explained that the students went on rampage and caused chaos which led to the lecturers scampering for safety by escaping through the bush.
It took the quick intervention of the police and men of Amotekun corps to bring the situation under control and rescue the alleged Staff of the federal services from been linched by the enraged students.
Speaking to Newsclickng.com on the incident, the President of the Student Union of the school, Comrade Opeyemi Oni blamed the school authority for allowing fumigation to go on when students are writing examinations.
Comrade Oni said the Management’s action shows that the health of the students means nothing to them.
One of the students critically lying sick in the hospital, Adenike Agbewusi explained that what she could only remembered was that after finishing her first paper she came out of the hall, perceiving offensive odour and the next thing she fainted only to be revived at the hospital.
Other students of the institution who also spoke with our crew alleged that the Provost had the knowledge of the school’s fumigation, but decided not to order the students to vacate the school for their safety, but insisted that the ongoing examination should be continued at the expense of their health.
When the State Commandant of the Federal Fire services, Mr.Olajide Philip was contacted on telephone interview, he defended his colleagues, saying the chemical used to fumigate the school was not harmful to humans.
According to him his agency has successfully carried out such activities in some public places in the state without any problem.
Reacting to the incident,the State Commissioner for Environment, Mrs.Iyabo Fakunle-Okiemeh in a telephone chat distanced the State government from the fumigation exercise, emphasising that the fumigation was carried out by the officers of the Federal fire services and not any of the state’s agencies.
On his part, the state Commissioner for Health, Oyebanji Filani ,after going round the emergency wards to ascertain the condition of the students, explained that good numbers of the affected students have been discharged from the hospital while others are responding to treatment.
Filani mentioned that of one the three students who were in critical conditions have been transfered to Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti(ABUAD) while the other two were refered to the Federal Medical Center in Ido.
The Commissioner who said investigation is on going , assured that the perpetrators of the unauthorised fumigation will be brought to book.
As at the time of filing this report,all efforts to speak with the College’s Provost, Mrs Cecelia Adebayo proved abortive as she rebuffed any interview.
