At least two pupils have died while others passed out after they suffocated in their school bus in Aguda area of Lagos state on Friday, July 8.
The driver of the school bus, Odunsa Mandala, was taking the pupils back to their homes after the close of school when the incident occurred. The pupils were said to have repeatedly complained to him about how uncomfortable they felt but he allegedly ignored their complaint until most of them on the bus had suffocated and passed out. When he saw the state they were in, he raised an alarm and the pupils were rushed to the hospital. While some of them were rushed to the Lagos State Teaching Hospital., others were rushed to Randle hospital. Sadly, two of the pupils lost their lives.
Confirming the incident on Twitter, the spokesperson of the state police command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said
”Yes, the driver has been arrested but the young souls are already gone, sadly so. A school bus driver ignored repeated complaints from the kids he was taking home that they were not feeling well. Some of the kids went unconscious, two eventually died.
Schools need to up their game in recruitment and pay more attention to job fit. Parents too need to do thorough background checks of schools and crèches before entrusting their kids into their care.
Meanwhile, the relevant regulatory agency has been notified of this act of gross negligence. Security is everyone’s business.”
