By Ade Oyeyemi
The Ondo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested the operator of a chemist shop over the alleged collection of blood samples from newly admitted students of CAC Adu Memorial Secondary School, Oke-Aro, Akure.
The NSCDC identified the arrested suspect as Adigun Kazeem, who allegedly operated the chemist shop where the students’ blood samples were collected.
The command also questioned the school’s principal, Mrs Olajumoke Ekpo-Jide, as part of efforts to unravel the circumstances surrounding the alleged blood testing.
The command’s spokesperson, SC Daniel Aidamenbor, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
Aidamenbor said the principal had been interrogated and made a written statement, adding that she was assisting investigators in establishing what happened.
According to him, the principal denied that the school was involved in the alleged exercise, noting that the state Ministry of Education had prohibited the use of blood testing as a condition for admission.
The investigation began on September 21 after the command’s Safe School Unit received information from the Ondo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology concerning the alleged collection of students’ blood samples.
Following the report, NSCDC personnel visited the school to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The command said preliminary investigation indicated that a kiosk or chemist shop located close to the school was allegedly used to collect the blood samples.
Aidamenbor explained that the samples were subsequently taken to a laboratory, after which the students were allegedly issued laboratory results, reportedly the following day.
Investigators traced the address printed on the laboratory reports but were unable to locate the facility at the stated address.
The NSCDC subsequently identified Olugbenga Olusola Foge as the person allegedly responsible for the laboratory aspect of the operation.
Foge, however, remains at large, according to the command.
“Preliminary investigation described Mr Olugbenga Olusola Foge as the main laboratory ‘expert,’” Aidamenbor said.
He added that Kazeem, the alleged operator of the chemist shop where the samples were collected, remained in NSCDC custody and was assisting the investigation.
“The arrested chemist shop owner will help in the investigation to track the main suspect and any other person(s) connected to the case,” the spokesperson said.
The development followed a statement by the Ondo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology distancing the government and the school from the alleged blood testing.
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The ministry, through its spokesperson, Bisi Lawani, had earlier said the reported exercise was not authorised, amid concerns over the circumstances under which the students’ blood samples were allegedly collected.
The NSCDC said investigations were ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident and identify all persons who may have been involved.
