On Tuesday Lagos State government yesterday shut Ojodu Grammar School following the protests by some parents after a truck crushed pupils to death.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu sympathised with the bereaved families, relatives, friends, management and staff of Ojodu Grammar school.
He described the incident as “sad, unfortunate and avoidable”.
“No life, including those vibrant students, who were returning from where they had gone to learn for a better future, deserved to be ended in that manner. My deepest sympathies go to their parents. I pray God will grant them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. Our prayers are also with the survivors, who are receiving treatment at the hospitals.
“Meanwhile, we have ordered that affected schools be shut till January while investigations are ongoing. The erring driver has also been arrested.”the governor said.
David Odunmbaku Chairman of Ojodu Local Council Development Area, has identified deceased students as Adedoyin Adebayo and Akpolebi Israel, and the truck driver as Bolaji Kabiru.
The injured students, he said, were in stable condition and receiving medical attention at the God’s Apple City Hospital, Ojodu Berger, Royan Hospital, Aina Street Ojodu, St. Michael Hospital, Ojodu, and Lagos State Emergency Hospital, Toll Gate, Ojota.
A member of the House of Representatives representing Ikeja Federal Constituency James Faleke, said, “This is very painful and traumatic. I pray God give the families of the deceased the fortitude to bear the loss. I appeal to our youths and others not to take the law into their hands as proper investigation shall be carried out to ascertain the reason and necessary action will be taken by the appropriate authorities,”.
There was pandemonium earlier in the day when parents stormed Ojodu Grammar School and Babs Fafunwa Millennium Senior Secondary School demanding for a temporary closure of the schools.
They urged the school authorities to honour the deceased pupils by suspending academic activities.
“They are supposed to close the school. Throughout the month, the school is supposed to remain closed because such a thing had never happened before,” a mother said.
Also, tension rose when pupils of Babs Fafunwa Millennium Secondary School, took to the streets to protest the death of their mates.
A pupil, who spoke to The Nation, noted that they were in school to write their examinations before their parents came for them.
Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo, addressed them, saying that their safety was paramount.
The state government, she said, would settle the bills of injured ones, adding that those with minor injuries had been discharged.
She stated that the state would provide counsellors for pupils of the school to deal with the trauma of the event.
“We are working with professional counsellors and trauma experts to support us in helping students and teachers pass through this challenging time,” Mrs. Adefisayo said.
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