Lagos closes down Chrisland School over pupil’s death

The government of Lagos State has ordered the shut down of Chrisland International School pending the outcome of the investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of a pupil, Whitney Adeniran, who died during the school’s inter-house sports at Agege stadium, in the Agege area of the state.

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, confirmed the development during a telephone conversation with our correspondent on Sunday.

“We are investigating the matter but as a first step, we are going to shut down the school (Chrisland) tomorrow (Monday) to allow for a full investigation,” Omotosho said.

“The Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasadee Adefisayo, has spoken with the father of the child to sympathise with him and commiserate with the family.”

Meanwhile, there have been conflicting narratives about what led to Whitney’s death during the school’s sporting activities at the stadium on Thursday, February 9, 2023.

Eyewitnesses, the school management and the doctor that attended to Whitney when she was rushed to hospital for treatment claimed that the 12-year-old pupil slumped and died of cardiac arrest, the pupil’s father, Michael, confirmed to the BBC Pidgin that his daughter was electrocuted.

“She (Whitney) died from a naked wire from one cotton candy vendor machine. After she touched it, she was electrocuted immediately. I have documented evidence that my child died of electrocution and not cardiac arrest as Chrisland School claimed,” the aggrieved father told the BBC Pidgin.

In the meantime, there are reports on Monday morning that despite the order by the state government shutting down the school, activities are ongoing and parents were still bringing their wards to school.