From Kingsley Osaretin, Benin City
The Chief Medical Director (CMD), Edo Specialist Hospital, Dr Anthonia Njoku, has debunked social media reports alleging that five pupils died during the Children’s Day celebration at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium.
Njoku made the clarification on Thursday while speaking on the tear gassing of students in Ogbemudia Stadium on Children’s Day in Benin City.
It would that several students reportedly collapsed following the alleged discharge of pepper spray by a bouncer during the 2026 Children’s Day celebration in Edo State.
The incident occurred after some male students allegedly made inappropriate advances toward female students at the event, which was organised for school children across the state.
The situation became rowdy when a member of a private security outfit attempted to intervene and rebuke the students over their conduct.
The students later regrouped and allegedly attacked the bouncer, who in response sprayed pepper spray into the crowd, affecting several other students in the process.
Aljazirah Nigeria gathered that many students, particularly female students, reportedly collapsed after inhaling the substance, causing panic at the stadium.
Some of the affected students were immediately rushed to the Edo Specialist Hospital for medical treatment.
According to Njoku, “Yesterday, we were called in for an emergency response and we responded swiftly and appropriately to some of the children who were evacuated by our ambulance to our facility.
”Resuscitation measures started immediately and to God be the glory, we have no casualty, the children are all stable . She stated.
Speaking of why the children were seen on the floor of the hospital, Njoku explained that they placed them on the floor for an effective resuscitation which some of the children needed.
”You needed to put some of these children on hard surfaces to be able to resuscitate them, that’s why we even have some of them on the floor, our goal at that point was to make sure that there was no casualty.
In her response, the coordinator, office of the First Lady of Edo, Mrs Edesili Okpebholo Anani, noted that she was at the hospital on a fact finding mission concerning the incident that happened during the Children’s Day celebration.
”I have had a conversation with the CMD, the children are fine and they have been discharged and we are happy, I want to thank the management of the hospital for their swift response. She added.
She, however, described what happened during the Children’s Day celebration as unfortunate, but the good news was that response came fast, adding that safety of our children remains the priority of this administration.