Teachers and students of Ogba Junior Grammar School in Lagos, were, on Thursday afternoon, hospitalised after reportedly inhaling suspected toxic chemical.
Four people, who are workers at a nearby laboratory have been arrested in connection with the incident .
About 22 of the pupils and two teachers who were affected by the chemical were rushed to a nearby specialist hospital.
The Nigerian Tribune gathered that though the immediate cause of the incident was yet to be ascertained, there were concerns over suspected expired chemicals used by a laboratory in the area.
An eye witness, Idris , told the Nigerian Tribune that people tried to force their way into Ogba Shopping Arcade, where the laboratory was situated, but were prevented by policemen from Area G Police command.
The image maker in charge of the state police, command, Ngozi Braide, while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, said that four of the students were, as at Thursday evening, still being treated at the hospital.
The director of the Lagos State Fire and Emergency Service, Razaq Fadipe, also confirmed the incident to the Nigerian Tribune and linked it to the chemical laboratory at the shopping complex.
The Lagos Fire Service boss said, “On getting to the school, 22 students were unconscious. LASAMBUS was able to revive most of them and their parents took them home.
“Four were unwell and were taken to Blue Cross Hospital. We were able to trace the odour to the complex which shares a fence with the school.
“We spotted the laboratory where the smell was coming from and the place has been cordoned off. Investigation is still on.”
He said that the affected students became weak with some of them falling down before an alarm was raised by teachers and students in the school.
The incident , which reportedly happened around noon, when the students were on break caused confusion in the whole of Ogba.
She also confirmed that four people had been arrested and would be transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department PAnti, Yaba for onward investigation.
She was quick to add however that the police had not concluded their investigation on what actually led to the incident.
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