Five-year-old Chidera Eze of the Redeemers Nursery and Primary School, Ogba, Lagos State, has drowned while being taught how to swim.
Some teachers and caregivers of the school took Chidera and his colleagues for the lesson at the Ivory Health Club, Ogundana Street, Ikeja.
During the training, Chidera and his colleagues were said to be playing at the tip of the pool when he slipped into it.
Chidera’s father, Anthony, revealed that the teachers, caregivers and lifeguards did not know that his son had fallen into the pool until he drowned.
“I rushed down there, but what I saw was the lifeless body of my son. I asked the head teacher what happened and she said she did not know. I asked the doctor what happened and he said he was brought in dead. I asked the teachers, caregivers and workers at the club what happened and they gave no explanation,” Anthony narrated in tears.
“When we got there, we discovered that it was the adult swimming pool section that they took the pupils to. I was alarmed and while the policemen were investigating, we realised that CCTV was installed at the club. So, we demanded to check the CCTV footage and it revealed everything.”
Anthony said the footage showed that his son was in the pool for over 30 minutes before he died, adding that his son’s corpse was discovered by another person, who came to swim in the pool.
“My son died because of the recklessness of these people who were supposed to take care of him. I want justice to forestall this kind of thing happening again. The caregivers, lifeguards, school management and the Ivory Health Club can’t go unpunished. My son’s corpse has been deposited in the morgue.”
The state police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, said some members of staff of the school and the club had been arrested.
“A thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the drowning of the boy is ongoing,” he added.
