The victims, reported to be pupils of James Primary School B, Osogbo, Osun State, underwent treatment in hospitals on Monday due to complications linked to the mid-day meal served to them as part of the government's free school feeding program.
This incident created panic, particularly among the parents of the affected pupils, with videos of the children in hospital beds circulating on social media.
During a visit to the school on Tuesday, officials prevented our correspondent from entering the premises, citing ongoing first term examinations for the pupils.
Describing how they fell ill, one of the victims recounted being served rice with egg, after which they began experiencing digestive issues.
In a video, the mothers of the victims mentioned noticing a foul smell from the eggs their children were served when they returned home from school on Monday. They expressed concerns about the food provided by the vendor and called for an investigation to prevent a recurrence.
However, Osun State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Dipo Eluwole, said on Tuesday that over 100 pupils received the food, questioning why only about 11, residing within the same compound, were affected. Eluwole, who mentioned that the affected pupils were writing exams during the ministry's visit, further explained that after completing their exams, parents refused the government's plan to have them examined at a public hospital.
He said, “Over a hundred pupils ate the food. But about 11 out of them, who are living in the same compound were those that were said to be affected. On getting to the school on Tuesday, we met the affected pupils writing examination. After their exam, we told them that we were moving them to a hospital for further checks, but their parents refused the offer.
“We recorded that scene. When I was told what the parents of the affected pupils said, I mandated the officer in charge of the school to release the pupils to government officials and they were taken to UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, Osogbo. After they were examined, the doctors told us that nothing was wrong with them.
