From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Anxiety Tuesday enveloped Akure, the Ondo State capital as rumours broke about the death of some school children after being administered vaccines by some unidentified soldiers.
There was also pandemonium in some parts of the town as efforts by several parents to withdraw their children from school before the official closing hour were resisted by the management of the schools.
As early as 9.00am rumours pervaded many parts of the city that about 20 soldiers invaded some schools in Ore, headquarters of ODIGBO Local Government Area of the state and allegedly administered vaccines on some school children after which three of them allegedly
died.
However, it was discovered that the rumour which also went viral on the social media was unfounded as visits to most of the schools in Akure and its neighbouring towns of Oba-Ile, Ilaramokin and Ifon showed that no soldier was in any of the schools for any purpose.
Anxious parents stormed many of the public and private schools in the state capital in a bid to withdraw their children from school, a development that created chaos at Fiwasaye High School located at the Alagbaka area of the town.
Also, policemen were drafted to many of the schools and the gates of the schools were locked, it became difficult for any individual to gain entry into the school compounds.
However, the management of Ejioba High School, Oba-Ile, suburb of Akure hurriedly released their students and the principal of the school refused to speak with newsmen, claiming that the state Ministry of Education had instructed all principals not to make public comment on the matter.
But the army authorities denied the allegation, saying that no officer of the Nigerian Army was involved in administering any vaccine in any part of the state.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Nigeria Army Artillery in Akure, Major Ojo Adelegan told Daily Sun that no officer could administer vaccine on any child for any reason, urging the public to consider the rumour as false.
He said “there was nothing like that. No officer administered vaccine on any child in any part of the state. It is mere rumour which only exists in the minds of those peddling it. Students should continue with their studies and parents should not be worried over the rumour.”
Also, the Ondo State government described the rumour as baseless and unfounded, urging the people to disregard it.