The federal government has concluded its investigation into the alleged poisoning of 18 pupils at St. James Primary School, Owo-Ope, Osogbo. The investigation found no evidence of poisoning and concluded that the incident was a case of misinformation.
A press statement by Olumobi John Adewale, Office of the School Feeding Programme, said that Dr. Yetunde Adeniji, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding, was mandated to conduct a fact-finding mission into the incident involving 18 pupils purportedly poisoned on December 12, 2023.
According to Adewale, the team was welcomed by the entire O-Meals programme team, led by His Excellency Governor Ademola Adeleke, who was represented by Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi.
“The team discovered during their visit to St James RCM Primary School in Owo-ope, Osogbo, that the purported incident was largely misrepresented,” the statement said. “Deputy Governor Adewusi stated, ‘This incident on Monday, December 12th, 2023, was a clear case of Misinformation. Unfortunately, such occurrences are not uncommon in governance at any level.’”
O-Meals state coordinator, Mrs. Olufunke Adesigba, provided insights into the guidelines ensuring proper health measures for the school feeding programme. She emphasized that all cooks undergo routine checks for tuberculosis and relevant medical examinations to guarantee the well-being of the students.
On his part, the Chief Medical Director, Teaching Hospital Osogbo Prof. Peter Babatunde Olaitan, who confirmed receiving 32 pupils in two buses, also stated that all the students were singing and dancing upon arrival.
