CHAOS erupted on Wednesday, January 31, when a clash occurred between rival cult groups reportedly consisting of students from Community Senior Grammar School and Ikotun High School in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The altercation reportedly stemmed from a long-standing feud between the two groups within the schools.
The confrontation, which began towards the end of the school day, prompted nearby police officers to intervene in order to restore order.
Upon noticing the officers, the troublemakers began hurling dangerous objects at them. The situation escalated when the officers called for backup and subsequently deployed tear gas canisters into the school premises to disperse the groups.
As a result of the incident, a stampede ensued, leading to injuries among some students, with reports of asthmatic students collapsing during the commotion.
According to a parent identified as Bimbo, approximately 10 students were hospitalized as a result of the altercation.
She said, “The quarrel between some of the students of both schools started immediately when the school closed. One of the boys took a bottle and broke it and the police officers close to the school saw that they quickly wanted to address the issue but the Community Senior Grammar School students started throwing stones and planks at them.
“The police then retreated towards the main road. On getting there, they met another patrol van coming, alerted them and went back into the school. But the mistake they made was throwing teargas inside the school compound because they had to force their way into the compound with the patrol van.
“The moment they shot the teargas and started shooting into the air, the students started running and that caused a stampede, and you know some of the students have health challenges. The teargas affected them and some of them started to collapse while some got injured during the stampede. One of them is asthmatic.”
In a video captured at the scene, a student was seen receiving medical attention while lying on the ground and using oxygen.
Another witness, who chose to remain anonymous, mentioned that some students were arrested and detained at the Ikotun Police Station, leading to protests by concerned individuals to secure the release of innocent students.
Israel Olusegun, a parent with children in the school, expressed concern over the incident and revealed that he had withdrawn his children from the school. He also called for the government to consider relocating one of the schools to prevent future conflicts.
He said, “The students of Community Grammar School are very tough. There was a time when the parents were contemplating that (relocation) for peace to reign.
“This is not the first time this is happening. Sometimes, they quarrel with students of the Technical School close to them and sometimes when they start, the teachers and even the principal would run away. We have been hearing about cultism in the school. This incident is one of the unfortunate things that have been happening in the school,” he added.
It was reported that some of the injured students had been discharged from the hospital, and those who were detained had been released the following day.
The state Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, confirmed that an investigation was ongoing to determine the cause of the altercation, and the Commissioner for Education had visited the school in response to the incident.
