Chidera Eze, a five-year-old student at the Redeemers Nursery and Primary School in Ogba, Lagos State, drowned during a swimming lesson organized by the school in the state’s Ikeja area.
According to report, some of the school’s teachers and caregivers took Chidera and his colleagues to the Ivory Health Club on Ogundana Street in Ikeja for a swimming lesson.
Chidera and his teammates were said to be practicing at the pool’s edge when he slipped into it.
While speaking with our correspondent on Wednesday, his father, Anthony, stated that the teachers, caregivers, and lifeguards were unaware that his son had fallen into the pool until he drowned.
“I dropped my children off at the Redeemers Nursery and Primary School on Acme Road in Ogba on Monday morning and went to work,” he explained.
At 10.52 a.m., I received a phone call from their headteacher, Mrs. Adeola Oladipo, who informed me that my son had been involved in an accident and had been rushed to the Ikeja Medical Centre.
“I dashed down there, but all I saw was my son’s lifeless body.” When I asked the principal what had happened, she said she had no idea.
When I asked the doctor what had happened, he said he had been brought in dead.
I asked the club’s teachers, caregivers, and workers what happened, but they had no explanation.
“My wife came in while I was crying; I was attempting to manage the information, but the headteacher also informed her, and as she ran into the hospital, I became completely confused.”
I went to the Area F Police Station, and after the officers photographed my son’s body, we went to the club. “When we arrived, we discovered that they had taken the students to the adult swimming pool section.”
I was concerned, and while the cops were investigating, we discovered that the club had CCTV installed.
So we demanded that the CCTV footage be examined, and it revealed everything.”
Anthony claimed that the video showed his son being in the pool for more than 30 minutes before he died and that his son’s body was discovered by another person who came to swim in the pool.
“We saw in the footage that the school brought more than 15 children, took them to the adult side of the swimming pool, and forced them to sit at the tip with their legs in the water and without any kits,” he said.
We only saw one caregiver in the video, and she was just going in and out, leaving the children unsupervised.
“My son was near the back of the line when he fell into the pool the first time, but he was able to pull himself out.” But the second time he fell into the water, he couldn’t get back out.
All of this occurred while no teachers, caregivers, or lifeguards were paying attention.
“My son was submerged for more than 30 minutes, and we were all screaming as we watched the video.”
Another student fell into the water, but her colleagues raised the alarm and pulled her out, and nobody noticed my son was inside the water.
“My son died as a result of the carelessness of these people who were supposed to look after him.” I want justice to prevent this from happening again.
Caregivers, lifeguards, school administration, and the Ivory Health Club will not go unpunished. My son’s body has been placed in the morgue.”
Calls to Oladipo for comment went unanswered. As of the time, this report was filed, she had yet to respond to a text message sent to her mobile number.
As of press time, the Redeemed Christian Church of God’s spokesperson, Olaitan Olubiyi, had not returned his calls and had yet to respond to a text message sent to his mobile number.
Benjamin Hundeyin, the state Police Public Relations Officer, stated that some members of the school and club staff had been arrested.
“A thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the boy’s drowning is ongoing,” he added.