An autopsy has revealed that 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni, a student of Dowen College, died of “acute lung injury due to chemical intoxication in a background of blunt force trauma.”
An autopsy carried out by a consultant pathologist at the Central Hospital Warri, Clement Vhriterhire, has revealed.
A medical expert said chemical intoxication or poisoning refers to a multitude of illnesses caused by the absorption of toxic chemical agents.
“Poisonings may be acute, subacute, or chronic and may be the result of accidental or intentional administration. Toxic chemicals may be absorbed by ingestion, injection, inhalation, or direct contact with the skin,” the expert said in a research work titled, ‘Principles of Medical Therapy in Pregnancy.
There had been reports that Oromoni died from injuries sustained in an attack by five senior students of the school for allegedly refusing to join their cult.
The boy died on November 30, 2020, after efforts to save his life failed.
His father had claimed that his child was beaten and fed a liquid chemical but Dowen College dismissed the claim.
The school claimed the boy sustained injuries while playing football with his colleagues.
Meanwhile, as public and private primary and secondary schools in Lagos State prepare to resume for the commencement of second term on Tuesday, authorities in the state have said the embattled Dowen College, a secondary school located in Lekki, will not be reopening.
The government said until investigations into the unfortunate incident of the death of one of its junior secondary school two students, Sylvester Oromoni Junior, who was reportedly beaten and forced to drink a poisonous substance allegedly by some bullying seniors, reach a logical conclusion, the school shall not be permitted to resume.
This is as the government has advised school administrators to step up school safety measures and reduce unfavorable safety incidences across schools and their neighbourhood.
Speaking on the matter, an assistant director in charge of public affairs unit, ministry of education, Ganiu Lawal, said very soon the school will also join others to resume but “not until ongoing investigations into the unfortunate incident reach an advanced stage.”
According to Mr Lawal, since the matter is not strictly a state matter and with the involvement of the police and other parties, “it would be ideal for all “ts” to be crossed and “is” to be dotted.
On safety measures
The state’s commissioner for education, Folasade Adefisayo, in a press statement issued on Monday and signed by Mr Lawal, said bullying, cultism and other vices will not be tolerated in any part of the school.
Admonishing school administrators to increase counseling of students against these vices, the commissioner welcomed students, teachers and school administrators to the beginning of a new year and second term of 2021/2022 school session.
She directed school administrators to ensure exposure of students to danger within the school premises are neutralised while identified possible dangers outside the walls of the schools are escalated to appropriate state safety and enforcement agencies through prescribed channels.
“Devise appropriate strategies to advance teacher, student interaction in order to gain an insight and expose negative tendencies before they metamorphose into unfortunate situations. Adequate monitoring, especially as it affects boarding school students should be enforced to prevent the incidence of bullying and all other vices,” the commissioner advised.
The commissioner noted that all public and private schools in the state are expected to resume for the 2nd term of 2021/2022 school session on Tuesday 4th January, 2022 while students in boarding schools are expected back in the hostel by Monday, 3rd January, 2022.
