Tear gas incident: Affected students back home, safe, healthy – Osun govt

The Osun State Government has reacted to the incident of tear gassing of students of Fakunle Unity Comprehensive High School, Osogbo.

DAILY POST reported on Tuesday that scores of students of the secondary school located opposite the 39 Squadron Police Mobile Force base Osogbo were affected by teargas used during training drills.

As a result, many of the affected students were rushed to different hospitals in the Osogbo metropolis.

Reacting through the Permanent Secretary, Osun State Ministry of Education, Dr Adelani Aderinola, the state government revealed that the students have been discharged to their various families.

Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday, Dr Aderinola affirmed that “The students are back home and healthy as of Tuesday evening after the incident occurred.”

The Osun Police Command in an official statement by the Commissioner of Police, Patrick Kehinde Longe and made available by its spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola explained that the teargas was as a result of a training drill and fitness exercise by the PMF officers.

“The Police Command wishes to inform the general public that at about 8:30 am of today 23rd May, 2023, while the mobile policemen 39 squadrons, Osogbo were carrying out their normal drill and fitness exercise in their compound, they fired Teargas as part of their routine exercise.

“In the process, the wind carried the smoke (Teargas) towards the direction of Fakunle Comprehensive High School opposite the Mobile Police Base (Office).

“Some of the students inhaled the gas and were choked which affected them.

“They were immediately taken to UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital and Living Spring Hospital behind the School compound respectively.

“The Police authority in the State immediately visited the hospitals to assess the situation. They have all been treated and discharged.”

A parent, Adebola Folake who reacted to the incident urged the concerned authorities to immediately relocate the PMF base from the city centre.

According to her, “Residents and those doing business within the area have also fallen victims as a result of the reoccurrence of such incidents.

”This incident has been occurring for some time now and it is because students are affected this time, that it became an issue. Several complaints have been made to the unit.

“The government should relocate the police base to another place, or the Mobile Police should not have their teargas drilling activities during school hours and move it to weekends.

“What if there was an asthmatic student among them? Adequate preventive measures should be taken to prevent another incident,” she cautioned.