100 College Students Hospitalised after Inhaling Poisonous Chemicals

Victor Ogunje

No fewer than 100 Students of the College of Health and Technology, Ijero-Ekiti, yesterday fainted after allegedly inhaling poisonous chemicals during a fumigation exercise on the campus.

The development triggered protest yesterday evening, which disrupted academic activities at the institution.

It was gathered that the students collapsed while writing their examinations in their various halls after inhaling the chemicals when the operatives of the Federal Fire Service were carrying out a fumigation exercise.

Some of the students hospitalised were said to be asthmatic patients, who developed complications as a result of the leaked chemicals inhaled.

Miffed by the development, the students in their numbers mobilised and besieged the institution’s administrative unit to demand explanation from the management.

The protest later turned violent as the administrative building, lectures’ rooms, vehicles of lecturers and other properties worth millions of naira were destroyed by the rampaging students.

The state’s Comissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Filani confirmed the incident, saying the situation was under control and that normalcy had returned.

He said: “Earlier today, I received a call from the Provost of the College of Technology as regards the situation in the institution. What we understand was that the school has received a memo from the Federal Fire Service that fumigation will be done.

“The fumigation was carried out today but unfortunately the inhalation created panic and had adverse effects on over 100 students who were hospitalised at the state specialist hospital.

‘64 have been discharged and about 34 of them are still in the facility, with most of them in good condition. We had sent two to the FETHI for close observation and to ensure that they are in good state and one is undergoing investigation in the Afe Babalola Teaching Hospital.

“We are monitoring the situation in order to ensure everyone is safe. We have mobilised additional doctors and nurses, oxygen cylinders to the hospital to make sure that everybody is safe,” he said.

Filani disclosed that some operatives of the Fire Service that undertook the fumigation had been arrested.