13th May, 2011
Mother of a seven-year old pupil, who was found dead recently inside a soak-away within his school compound located at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, has cried out for justice.
Mrs. Ngozi Eze, who is yet to recover from the shock, has asked the Lagos State government and well meaning Nigerians to assist her in making sure that those involved in the death of his son, Favour Eze, are brought to book.
The young boy was taken to school that morning by his parents but he did not return to his parents when school closed for the day, rather he died in a mysterious circumstance.
Narrating what happened, Favour’s mother, Mrs. Ngozi Eze told P.M.NEWS that she took Favour to the school and handed him over to the school care giver at about 8.45 a.m.
She said his class teacher later called her at 10.45 a.m that day and informed her that his son was missing and she had to rush to the school to find out what happened.
On getting to the school, the teacher accused her of not bringing him to school that day, but she insisted and explained to her how she handed him to the school care giver with his food basket.
During a search, the food basket was found in the classroom with his food intact.
She said she went to Onipanu Police Station and reported the incident. The police, it was gathered, searched the school compound the next day and found her son dead in a deep soak-away pit in the compound with his school uniform still on.
She added that it was after the discovery that she and the police suspected foul play by the school authority. The matter was immediately transferred to the Homicide Department at Panti, Yaba.
Mrs. Eze said three staff of the school who were arrested were later released on bail, adding that nothing has come out of the investigation.
She is now suspecting that those involved in killing his son were doing everything possible to cover the murder.
When our correspondent contacted the police officer in charge of the matter, Supol. Nwabueze, he declined to speak on the matter and referred the reporter to the police Public Relations Officer.
However, a source at the station told P.M.NEWS that the police were waiting for autopsy report to determine whether it was a murder case or negligence by the school.
—Cyriacus Izuekwe